The SeeD of Chaos
by KingNothing497
Summary: Post-Game - Its been some time since "Compression" happened and the SeeDs saved the world. Much has changed in the years since then. "Angel" is running rampant through the world, causing chaos wherever it appears and the one person key to stopping it, is the one person who is also being hunted down by half the world's military powers. Rated M for violence, swearing and the like.
1. Chapter 1 - Conflict

He stood there, his hands trembled. Even though he wore black leather gloves which shouldn't be slippy under normal circumstances, it felt like they were an extension of his skin. In his current state, it came across like his palms were drenched in sweat as he desperately tried to hold onto his weapon, or at least he thought it was anyway. His vision was blurred. Seemingly flipping in and out of focus. As he tried to concentrate on what was directly in front of him, the worse the blurring of his vision became. It went from clear focus to double, sometimes triple vision. Nothing was constant - his motor skills were failing as he failed to hold onto the object in his hand and his visual abilities were becoming severely impaired. The man was finding himself in a hopeless situation. He let go of the object in his hands. Not by choice. All muscular control in his limbs seemed to fail him. His hands opened against his will, letting the metal shape fall to the stone floor with a loud clang. Almost simultaneously, his legs buckled, he shuddered for a moment before his knees dropped to the floor. He was defenseless. No co-ordination, senses running wild and now without a means of defending himself adequately.

The cold grey surface was unforgiving. The impact of the fall rose up his body like a shock wave, almost briefly bringing him back to his senses for a moment of clarity. He took note of his surroundings once more - he seemed to be out in the open, yet at the same time indoors... or what remained of what you could call indoors. There were derelict walls around him, some standing tall, fifteen to twenty feet high, some barely a foot tall. Some had cracks in the brick work where nature had broken through, creeping vines constantly probing for any weakness to break through, tear down what man had once made and reclaim it for nature. Likewise with the floor. It resembled what could have been a courtyard or main hall depending on your perspective - was there originally a roof at the top of the structure or was this surrounded by structures and just a meeting place? The grey bricks were well-worn, years of weathering had given them character and left them harsh, some eroded to the point of rough edges you could cut yourself open on whilst others were totally covered with moss, roots, weeds and vines from the cracks between them. The air was still around him, there was no wind at all and there was no wildlife around, it was deathly quiet. Wherever he was, he was alone to some extent. The sound of footsteps and a faint rush of wind however drew his focus from his environment and surroundings to his situation - he wasn't alone. This sudden realization brought his senses back to him, causing them to come crashing down on him like an avalanche - it was a complete mental and sensory overload. All of a sudden his primal survival instincts kicked in. He was in a fight or flight situation.

He felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand up on end as he frantically looked round, trying to find somewhere safe to rest to allow himself more time to assess his situation. As he looked he suddenly felt a dull but constant pain in his abdomen. He looked down and couldn't visibly see anything, but as he touched it with his hand then brought it up to his face, he could see a thick red substance dripping from his fingers - he had been wounded. How severe though was what he couldn't establish. As a rule of thumb, any abdominal bleeding in a fight or flight situation indicates a serious injury, whether it be internal or external. He tried to look down at himself but could only see blood and darkened skin. The most likely scenario seemed to be he had been hit with a direct fire based spell which had severely burned him. Realizing the severity of his injuries he had to act fast. It was a race against his body's own defense mechanisms - shock. Knowing his body could at any minute decide to shut itself down to preserve any vital functions, mainly circulation and brain function, the man mustered up his remaining strength. He reached in his pocket and found nothing. He cursed to himself. He honestly believed he had a potion of some form just to stem the damage till he got himself back to safety. Realising the quick fix was out of the question, he opted for plan B. Focusing what energy he could muster for himself, he held his hand over the wound and a faint blue glow radiated from it. Hoping this healing spell would suffice, he relaxed his concentration as the pain slowly subsided, just enough for him to reach out in front of him and to pick up the object he held in his hands moments ago. He knew that trouble was coming soon, he just had to find somewhere to recover.

_"This... This is not good..."_

He thought to himself, trying to push up from his kneeling position to one more battle ready, he forced his left leg up and pushed himself back on to his right before returning to a vertical base. Quickly looking round once more, he opted on moving forwards, towards the tallest wall. He figured if he could get behind this, he could at least formulate some strategy and buy himself a little more time. As he slowly edged across the stone floor, he felt a rush of air pass over his left shoulder and heard the sound of metal hitting brick. The cracking noise alerted him to a dust cloud and debris flying up, momentarily blinding him. Shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, the same thing happened again, this time it made impact behind him on the floor. He was being attacked by a long-range weapon, most likely a sniper. With more urgency he made his way to the wall, stumbling from left to right as he advanced, trying to make himself a harder target for the sharpshooter to hit. As he reached the wall and prepared to jump behind it, he felt a sharp stinging sensation in his left shoulder. Dropping his weapon to the floor he spun behind the wall and this time quickly released another curative magic spell on the wound. He knew it was only a quick fix, cure couldn't help him in the long run, it was simply the means to an end, contain any damage and prevent it spreading or getting worse. He banged the back of his head against the wall in frustration and then kicked the weapon towards his right side. Even though he just "cured" his left shoulder, he wouldn't be able to use his left arm for several minutes as his body adjusted to the change. The cure spell acted like a matrix and a shield. It covered the damage or enveloped it depending on what it was directed at, then the healing matrix spread out from the point of injury and started to hold everything together like a glue. It also acted like a network, transmitting messages along as if it were a nerve network or circuit board. As he waited for his body to come to its senses once more and reach a more co-coordinated functioning with his mind, he focused his thoughts on making a plan. He could hear the bullets hitting the wall behind him and on the floor either side of the wall. He knew he'd have to make a stand soon or they would eventually find away through his wall.

_"For Hyne's sake!They just don't give up do they?" _

Showing frustration with his attackers the man tried to formulate a battle plan. He knew he was outnumbered, out-gunned and probably going to be ambushed if he tried to escape. Making a stand despite how desperate he seemed was the most logical thing to do. The harsh reality of his situation dawned on him. This could probably be his last stand. Shaking his head and trying not to let his emotions get the better of him, the man strained himself, trying to conjure up something from nothing. Scanning his surroundings all he could see was the sun beginning to set among a mass of broken walls and stone flooring, some columns with no roof above to support. He was in a ruined structure and it was getting dark. Not knowing how well equipped his pursuers were, he could hopefully use the night to his advantage, provided he stayed alive that long. The shock from his earlier injury which he couldn't quite figure out how it happened must have affected his short-term memory. All he could think of was protecting something... or was it someone? The word 'Angel' kept cropping up whenever his thoughts drifted towards escaping. It was like his subconscious was screaming out, begging to be put in control as it held the answer but he just couldn't get to grips with it. As he took stock of his spells, his inventory and reached down once more for his weapon the bullets stopped. The silence kicked in again and he cursed to himself under his breath. They had either closed in, withdrawn for a moment, or have him right where they needed him.

_"Hyne... I don't do this much... or at all if I'm honest. I've seen things I should be able to explain and some things I can't explain.. and well I'm not much of one for believing in Gods, Goddesses and Fate... even if everyone says you and fate seem to have some big plan for me. Just do me one small thing - Let everyone know that this isn't their fault, it wasn't her fault either... I just did what I had to do to save everyone" _

The small prayer of sorts calmed him slightly. It didn't do much, but what it did was calmed the part of him which was apprehensive and clouding his judgement. He needed all his wits about him and full focus and concentration if he was going to survive this one. Using a modified version of the scan spell, a trick he called "Scan-sess" he located a bird circling above him and let his magic take over it. The scan-sess (scan-possess) was a recon styled spell which some high level mercenaries used to gain a look at the battlefield without directly exposing themselves. His consciousness momentarily went into the bird who then surveyed the battleground for him - outlining structures and enemy positions. He was being hunted down by a 5 man cell. One sniper towards the back in an elevated position, probably the ruins of a two-story building with a window or crack big enough to get his gun through and 4 ground units closing in on him in a semi-circle like formation, east, north-east, north-west and west, trying to catch him in their net with the sniper at due north with a full horizontal view of the battle. This was a strategy he had used himself in the past. He knew the strengths and the weaknesses of it, everything in this type of 5 man assault relied on the security of due north. If the sniper was to fall or be taken out momentarily, the field of vision shrinks dramatically and the ground units can only cover each other and move more cautiously. Knowing his plan of action, the man allowed his consciousness to come back to him. With a mental map of the surrounding area now etched in his brain he steeled himself. This was going to be his final stand. He was alone, he had no back up and his only chance of escape was taking this team out, getting their supplies and making it back to his secure location before going on the run again.

The life of a fugitive was hard. Even harder when you're currently the most wanted man in the world.

Checking his weapon once again, making sure it was loaded, he quickly wiped it down with his glove before allowing the sunset to catch the side of its long metallic edge. The pale blue glow seemed warm in the red sunset instead of cold like it usually did. Spinning the barrel near the handle, the wanted man tensed his grip and drew his focus once again. He didn't remember who his enemies were or why he was being hunted. All he knew was that he had to protect who or whatever Angel was or everything would be for nothing in the end. Bringing his weapon up in front of him, he gripped the handle tightly with both hands and let his finger rest on the trigger. Catching his own reflection in the metal, he saw the cold grey eyes of a killer who had seen battle. The scar on his forehead was one of many he had received in battle. His brown hair was unkempt but he didn't care for his appearance, not when he was faced with life and death. Preparing himself for the oncoming attack, he cycled through the spells he had access too, carefully deciding which would be relevant to his situation and which wouldn't be any use. Having decided on what he planned to do, he cast Haste upon himself, he could feel his senses heightening and his brain working quicker. His nerves transmitted their messages faster which in turn made his muscles move faster. Quickly following this up, he cast triple on himself, allowing him to cast spells in quick succession for offense and defense in one quick turn. He then readied himself.

As the lone warrior prepared to do battle, across the field the gunman looked down his rifle's sights once more. He'd managed to punch a few small holes in the wall his target was using for shelter. Firing off another shot, this one with more force knocked a brick out of the wall. He saw the man's feet quickly shuffle out of view, but he saw the tip of the mans weapon - a pale blue sword of sorts. Smiling to himself, the sniper loaded a new magazine into his rifle and then tapped the comms button on his headset:

**Sniper**: "Mission Control, do you read? Over"

**MC**: "Swift shot, this is MC, we read you loud and clear. Status report, Over?"

**Sniper**: "Target has been located, we are in the ruins three clicks north of the 'Odin Ruins'. Requesting permission to engage. Over"

**MC**: "Copy that. Ensure your team are in position and are fully aware of the target and his capabilities. Do you know if he has any back up at all?"

**Sniper**: "Negative, we have only encountered monster resistance during the pursuit and first skirmish with him. The ground team are fully aware of the plan and are currently approaching as discussed"

**MC**: "Oscar Mike Swift shot"

The sniper smiled to himself as he switched on his secondary channel, allowing mission control to monitor the audio from the battle and allowing the ground team to communicate with him. Their leader.

**Sniper**: "Tamer, do you read? Tamer do you read? MC says inform Oscar and Mike we will be on our way"

**Tamer**: "Roger that swift shot, we're moving in now"

The sniper watched his ground team begin to move closer to the broken wall. They knew to wait on his signal, a single specialised shot which would blow the wall apart like a grenade but not cause any damage from a backwards shock wave. All the pressure of the impact would be directed to the wall and whatever lay behind it. His Armour piercing blast shells were the right thing for the job. The pride and Joy of Esthar's army. The sniper took a deep breath and aimed at the wall, roughly five feet up from the floor. He thought to himself for a split second before pulling the trigger, sending the projectile at high-speed into the wall. The shell struck the wall in the exact spot he for and the explosion leveled the wall above it, causing it to come crashing down on the man behind it. Smiling to himself as the ground team moved in on the target to finish the job or confirm the kill, he couldn't help but gloat to himself about what he just done.

_"Got you now Leonhart... You Bastard!"_

* * *

**A/N:  
**Italics stand for individual speech - internal monologues, thinking out loud, one person conversations basically.

Spelling is prone to change from British English to American English from time to time, sometimes even in the same story. Call it whatever I feel most comfortable writing in AND whatever I keep getting auto-corrected or spell checked too.

Disclaimer here too - I don't own the rights or any other things pertaining to this game


	2. Chapter 2 - The first attack

Squall was ready for combat. He had been all his life to be honest, it was his job. A SeeD - an elite mercenary who was at the highest level of his abilities in combat and para-magic. His original purpose was to defeat the sorceress, at first that was presumed to be Edea Kramer, Balamb Garden headmaster Cid's wife, but it turned out that actually it was a sorceress from the future - Ultimecia. Possibly the strongest sorceress to walk the planet since the great Hyne herself. He knew that he could die on any given mission and in any matter of ways, but today, at the hands of a 5 man Esthar elimination team, it wouldn't be his end. He vowed that to himself. He had to survive. Spinning round quickly, the mercenary moved to his right and narrowly missed the modified Armour-piercing round destroying his hiding place. Using the rubble and rising cloud of dust as cover, he rushed forwards, keeping himself as low to the floor as he could whilst still being able to comfortably wield his gunblade. With his speed magically augmented, he easily made it to the first pillar he had identified earlier through magical surveillance. It was roughly seven feet tall and covered in creeping vines, it was hard to determine if it was sandstone or marble due to the weathering and the plants taking its toll over time. Pressing himself back first against the pillar, he held his breath for a moment and drew his sword in front of him, ready to strike. The formation he was up against, it was easy to counter due to its simplicity. All he had to do was evade the 4 ground troops and either get up close to eliminate the over-watch position or he had to get a clear line of sight to launch a spell to disable the sniper long enough to take out his ground force.

_"15 seconds till contact"_

Squall closed his eyes, he focused on the bird circling above him again, using his magic he quickly looked through its eyes once more to judge the distances between him and his next portion of cover. It was roughly 5 meters away, but he would be completely exposed getting there. Both the sniper and the soldier would catch him and he'd be a sitting duck. He thought about the pillar, it was seven feet tall, big enough for him to stand behind, but if he tried to scale it and use it as a podium he would be dead meat. He waited for another second, he knew they'd be on him pretty soon and he knew he had to make it count. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a flare stone. He knew it would easily kill a soldier but it would also reveal his position to the sniper and if the sniper decided to level the pillar he was using for cover, it would be over. The force of that explosion from the modified AP shot was incredible. Irvine, the Galbadian sniper who helped him defeat the sorceress years back used to use the AP ammo, but refining it further, combining it with a directional explosive charge was genius. Squall noted to himself that he'd have to try to get some of that ammo himself as it could prove to be useful at some stage. Deciding on his course of action, Squall braced himself. Knowing that the soldier would be there in mere seconds, Squall skimmed the flare stone around under his left arm so it bounced across the floor. Knowing the sound would get the ground soldier's attention and the movement would reveal his position to the sniper, Squall jumped. The flare stone clattered across the floor which drew the sniper's focus. As he put his sights on it to identify what it was, the east and north-east position troops moved in towards the flare stone. As the other troops to the west kept moving forwards, Squall made the dash to the next point of cover. As he jumped, the flare stone exploded. The bright orange light engulfed the two soldiers who proceeded to investigate. They arched backwards, hands up, covering their eyes and dropping their weapons.

**Sniper**: "REPORT! What happened?"

**Soldier 1**: "Sir, it appears that the area may be booby-trapped or the target is alive and preparing to fight"

The sniper cursed under his breath. He scanned the battlefield and caught sight of the aftermath of the flare stone trick squall had used. His two team mates were dead on the floor, their Armour melted into their flesh and their charred bones visible where the Armour didn't offer any cover. The burning bodies still smoked as he watched them through his scope. Their protective gear was designed to combat magic like flare. Instead of saving them, the power of the explosion blew the face masks off the two men and the intense heat burned their faces beyond recognition. Their eye sockets were empty, their scorched skulls lay there as a grim reminder to the assassins as to just how deadly and merciless their opponent was.

**Sniper**: "Fuck! They got Pox and Lazlo"

Squall peered over the cover. It appeared to be a section of a wall which belonged to the wall of a house. Part of it was high enough to stand behind, but the drop in elevation suggests a window may have been here back when this place was inhabited and bustling with life. Crouching down, Squall looked to the position of the sun. He noted that it was in front of him, not behind. This played right into his hands. He held his sword up at just enough of an angle to get a look behind him. He saw the other two soldiers adopt a defensive positioning across the courtyard area and he could feel them drawing their magic. They were probably casting shell or rejunctioning something to take the edge off of any elemental spells. Flare, though it looks like fire, isn't a fire spell at all. It was a mixture of fire and thunder, a combination of destruction. Knowing his enemies would probably prepare for this, he then angled his sword to try to find the sniper using its reflection. He couldn't. Either the sniper had moved, or he withdrawn his gun and was formulating a new plan. Knowing he couldn't let the sniper regain his composure or line up another shot, Squall decided to act. Knowing that he was still augmented by triple and haste, he charged up three Blizzaga spells and launched them across the courtyard in the general direction of the two ground troops. The idea wasn't to hit them directly, but more to force them into moving. As the ice spells crashed against their cover, the two troops ducked out the way. One of them fumbled about with his comms unit, probably informing the sniper of Squall's location whilst the other threw a series of grenades out across the battlefield. Using the blasts of the grenades for cover - the dust and debris clouds forming. Squall ran forwards, jumping between the explosions before crouching down momentarily. He planted his feet firmly on the floor and used his acrobatic skill to vault forwards, somersaulting in mid-air. As his body rotated, he flicked his sword out in his right hand and let it trail out behind him. The SeeD dropped down between both shell-shocked soldiers and before they could even act, they were done for.

Squall looked over his right shoulder whilst crouched down. His line of sight ran down the length of his gunblade - it was a deadly way to target someone. Quickly re-adjusting his stance, he pivoted on the balls of his feet and brought his left hand forwards to join his right on the handle. In one quick moment he lunged forwards, gunblade held tightly in both hands, thrusting the tip of his weapon directly into the throat of the first soldier. After piercing his throat, Squall twisted the sword and spun round on the spot. As he did, he flicked the sword out to his right, ripping his neck open, leaving the man partially decapitated. After watching his comrade die, the other soldier fumbled. He tried to raise his shotgun to fire a point-blank shot but it was useless. Squall swooped in with a low swing and used his sword to slice across the shins of the soldier. The adamantine blade cut through the mans Armour with ease and dropped him to the floor. As he lurched forwards Squall wasted no time in bringing his weapon up over his head and then bringing it down across the back of the mans neck, killing him swiftly and letting his head roll across the floor. Wasting little time, the SeeD quickly got behind cover and stole the dead man's comms unit. Sticking it in his ear, he heard the panic from the squad leader - the sniper.

**Sniper**: "How the fuck? It's just... No... No way. I knew he was dangerous, but THAT dangerous?"

Squall smiled to himself. He was one of the greatest SeeD operatives, near enough unrivaled in combat. As a cadet, Seifer came close to him when it came to swordsmanship, but after defeating him several times during the Ultimecia war, it was clearly established that Squall was unrivaled in SeeD. His magical strength was on par with that of Sorceress Edea's before she was possessed by Ultimecia and his strength was second to none. Many people in Garden used to call him 'The Human GF' - he was perfect in almost every aspect of combat and if Squall could be junctioned, many people would want to junction him just for his combat prowess alone. His reputation as a merciless killer who shown no emotion on the field at one point would intimidate many opposing forces to retreat or fall back. He did after all single-handedly lift the siege of East Academy Station during the liberation of Timber. Many Galbadian army personnel after this bloody event remarked that Squall could not possibly be human, his ruthless streak in battle shocked many around him, even professional killers who he worked with. Looking over his shoulder from cover he spotted the vantage point where the sniper was. It was 8 meters away from him and he could quickly make it there before the sniper recovered his composure. Cutting his mic feed on the unit he listened in on the sniper who was panicking, frantically trying to radio his handlers.

**Sniper**: "I have been compromised, I repeat, I have been compromised. Swift shot is empty"

**MC**: "Evacuate, proceed to primary evac point with great care, make sure you are not followed. Radio in current co-ordinates and we will bombard area to buy you time to escape"

**Sniper**: "I'll be dead before you can even launch the shells to bombard this area! He's going to rip me to pieces, limb from limb."

**MC**: "Hold steady Swift shot, we have faith in you. Do you still have the alpha package?"

Squalls eyes narrowed at the last sentence. In the past he had been given mysterious packages which were to be used in the case of an emergency. Knowing that his opponents were using Esthar technology, this package could be anything. Esthar were the leading specialists in anti-troop tech. Squall didn't want to wait to find out what the package was. He quickly vaulted over the cover and ran in a zig-zagging pattern, from crater to crater, rubble to rubble, trying to close the gap on the sniper. As he drew closer, the sniper acted. He threw a grenade out of the window, taped to it were some small metal orbs with swirling black gas in them. As the grenade hit the floor, Squall stopped for a moment. His eyes focused on the explosive ball of metal and then widened. Taped to it were spheres designed to hold spells. These were commonly used to add effects to projectiles. In this case, it was a blind spell. The sniper had junctioned several blind spells to his explosive, intending to maximize the area of effect, ensuring a hit on the SeeD. Jumping behind another broken wall, Squall narrowly avoided the explosion, but he couldn't see anything when he opened his eyes. The blind spell had dispersed across the battlefield like a fog, covering everything in darkness. Knowing he was only safe for a few seconds before the fog dispersed, Squall drew his focus once more, this time he created a white light in his hand. He pressed it against his forehead and hoped it would work in time. The Esuna spell would remove his blindness, but not instantly. He would have to lie low for a minute or so, but with a sniper using junctioned ordinance and specially modified ammunition, that time was not a luxury.

**Sniper**: "You're not so tough are you now 'Commander' "

Squall tried to ignore the man's mocking. Merely seconds ago he was quivering in fear, begging for back up and extraction, now he acts all invincible.

**Sniper**: "Lets play a game shall we? Lets see who can see each other first. I'll fire shots at you, and you try not to die before the fog clears"

Squall swore to himself. He knew the sniper was now just taunting him. Being a long distance fighter with superior firepower and ordinance, he had to play into his hand for now. As he lay down on the floor, tucked into the wall, a shot whistled past him, smashing into the already damaged floor before exploding. The force of the explosion caused the blinding fog to stir and disperse further, limiting Squalls vision even more. It also damaged the healing matrix on his chest which the cure spell had put in place. Being crippled with pain momentarily, the SeeD cast cure on himself again and then opened his eyes. The darkness in his own eyes had lifted, but everything around him was black. The grenade's explosion spread the gas further and he knew any further explosions would only blind him once more. Deciding to try to do something about this, Squall fumbled about again, he had a wind stone in his pocket. A stone rumored to possess the power to create a mini tornado, ideal for dispersing this cloud of gas. Knowing it was just a matter of time before the next shot, the SeeD flung it across the floor. As it bounced, the sniper shot it. The resulting explosion was spectacular. The gas was drawn in by the gyroscopic force of the wind generated from the stone and the force of the explosion was too. It was like the wind had trapped the explosion and was waiting to release it. Wishing that he had the wind guardian with him, Pandemona to control the direction of the wind. Squall climbed over the wall, hit the floor and quickly rolled out the way. The tornado subsided. As it did the explosion was released and the blind fog was sent into the sky.

**Sniper**: Nice trick mister SeeD but can you deal with this?

The sniper fired another volley of shots out. This time they were erratic, but the way they landed, north, south, east and west, it provided perfect explosive coverage for anyone caught in the middle of it. As the explosions went off, Squall stumbled up to his feet and moved forwards again. What seemed to be easy at first was turning into a tactical nightmare. For every foot gained, the assault was picking up with intensity. Maybe it would have been easier to just directly attack the sniper's position instead of the soldiers. Maybe it would be easier to just attack it directly now, compromising his position whilst at the same time putting an end to this. But what was the package? This caused him concern. Part of him wanted to see what it was and why it had caused renewed vigor in the sniper, but in his current condition, he knew he had to end this and seize the package for himself. Deciding to try and force the sniper's hand. Squall climbed on top of the rubble he was hiding behind and looked directly at the sniper's vantage point. He raised his gunblade up and pointed it at the window.

**Sniper**: "You cocky son of a bitch! I'll blow your fucking head off for being so stupid"

The sniper re-adjusted his aim and then pulled the trigger. The shot flew directly towards the mercenary, but with incredible skill, he parried it with his gunblade. Flicking his wrist and turning the sword side on so that its face was visible, the bullet made contact with the flat edge of the sword before squall quickly flicked it sideways, dramatically altering its trajectory and smashing it through a pillar. The sniper was speechless. He couldn't believe that the mercenary could actually stop one of his bullets with so little effort. It made him think

**Sniper**: "Has he just been toying with us all this time?"

He trembled in his hiding place as he dropped his rifle and backed away towards the corner, clutching the package in his hands. He knew now his fate was sealed. There was no way he could defeat the mercenary. Reaching up, he changed the frequency on his comm unit to mission control only.

**Sniper**: "Swift shot reporting in. Requesting aerial support on my current location. Ignore danger close, cover this area in explosions"

**MC**: "Copy that swift shot. Dispatching clean up to your location now. Esthar thanks you sir"

**Sniper**: "...Copy"

The sniper sighed. He was a dead man regardless, he thought he might as well take Squall down with him. Opening the package in his hands, he took out a small golden pyramid-shaped container. It was covered in ancient symbols, mainly old Estharian. He twisted the top of it so the peak drew back and a silver light shone out of it. He threw it out the window and then re-activated his comms unit.

**Sniper**: "Hey, SeeD... Fuck You"

* * *

**A/N:**  
I'm aiming to keep most chapters to a similar kind of length - 2500-3500 words. Longer ones will follow at some stage or where relevant. Hopefully this can maintain interest. Please feel free to leave any feedback or suggestions  
I can't promise a consistent update schedule at the moment as I am only establishing this story now, when it gets going, i will be able to give a time frame for updating


	3. Chapter 3 - Curveball

Squall looked on the floor just below the window. He saw the golden object with the faint silver light shining from it and looked puzzled. Knowing that this was an artifact to be used in battle or as a last resort, the SeeD quickly shuffled backwards, as he did his simultaneously cast shell and protect on himself before adopting a fighting stance. His concentration remained clearly focused on the pyramid on the floor in front of him. The silver light started to take on a form in front of him. It formed a large sphere which then suddenly solidified. the huge mass of metal just floated in the middle of the courtyard, just feet away from Squall who scanned it. He'd never seen anything like this before and judging by the sniper's behaviors, it was either a bomb, or some new kind of summoning for a guardian. Since the time compression events, magic around the world had got rather distorted and people had learned new ways to manipulate it. Could Esthar have created the first artificial guardians? Dreading the answer, Squall created more space between himself and the orb and augmented his defenses - shell, protect and haste were all cast as the silver sphere finally stopped growing. Without warning, the sphere exploded. Raising his gunblade up like a shield, pressing his other hand against the blade, holding it out in front of him, the debris and the force of the explosion swirled round Squall before finally settling. In the middle of all the smoke and dust stood something Squall was all to familiar with - a behemoth.

At first glance, this behemoth looked like any other behemoth. It was a colossus of a beast - huge horns, a distinctive mane, large sharp claws on its feet and deadly looking fangs. It was around twenty feet in length from snout to tail and at least eight feet tall. It was a fine specimen of a monster. If the circumstances were different, Squall would probably photograph this creature. It was evolutionary perfection in quadruped form. Who could possibly imagine that the behemoths shared a distant genetic link to the domestic dog. The power of evolution and genetic mutation was truly fascinating. Aside from the obvious physical features you would expect to find on a behemoth there was one major difference. Instead of having that distinctive coloring of purple hide and red mane, the behemoth was a blood red color with a platinum mane. Its horns were a distinctive gold instead of black and its eyes were a pure white. Almost like it had nothing else to its structure, except for the sclera. As he analyzed it, he noticed that on its body there were patches which looked like armour plating - on the tops of its legs where you could imagine its shoulders and hips to be if it was a biped creature. It also had plating running across its sides. It almost seemed like the creature had been captured, experimented on and modified to act like it was a tank or artillery styled assault vehicle. It was roughly the same size as a tank after all and it probably packed as much of a punch as one did. behemoths were some of the strongest monsters in the world. Squall remembered a class from his cadet days where one of the instructors who specialized in monsters quoted from the "Dissidian Almanac":

_"Ferocious beasts with regal, fluttering manes and roars violent enough to shake the earth itself. After rending foes with long claws and horns, they usually use their sharp teeth to deal the killing blow. Also known to use high-level magic, behemoths are enemies of the top rank."_

There wasn't much left to the imagination regarding what this creature in the wild was capable of, but one which an Estharian agent had in a strange golden pyramid? This was an entirely different kind of creature. Going with his initial assessment of the situation - this was once a wild beast, Squall proceeded to tackle the situation as he would if it was a wild one. This would allow him to see if aside from the armouring on its hide, were there any other tricks which the military scientists of Esthar had put into this majestic beast. Bending at the knees, Squall sprung forwards with his sword to one side. Raising his left hand up, he focused his thoughts towards a blinding spell. It was standard procedure when attacking a behemoth - blind then bind. Limit its ability to see the battlefield and use its physical prowess, then bind its magical abilities to provide a greater chance of either successfully killing it or fleeing from it. Letting the black cloud forming at his fingertips go, he cast it directly at the white eyes of the creature, hoping it would stick, but instead it just dispersed on impact.

_"Fuck!"_

Squall cursed to himself, the blind spell was wasted, this meant that the behemoth had either been junctioned to defend against blind, or it was modified to be perfect in its ability to hit its target when in range every time it needed to. Squall proceded with his assault. Still running head on at the beast, he jumped up, bringing his gunblade up above his head in both hands and brought it down in front of him, slashing at the beast's leg. It let out a mighty roar. The bellowing of the beast was accompanied by a wave of pure magical pressure, sending the SeeD backwards, like a strong gust of wind. Fighting to keep his feet on the floor. Squall put his head down and braced himself. The creature's roar ceased and it turned its head to look at him. Snarling, it lunged forwards, leaping off the floor with its forelegs raised, claws angled to cause maximum damage. Squall rolled to his right, narrowly avoiding the monster's swipe. He then had to shuffle backwards, jumping at the same time to narrowly avoid a tail swipe from the creature. Although he was more agile than the beast he faced, he knew he couldn't keep skirting past its attacks, sooner or later, one of its massive spikes or claws would make impact and then the beast would be in firm control of the fight. Wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead, Squall took a deep breath before launching his next strike. He angled his sword so it was point first and lunged forwards, thrusting it again at the beast's upper leg, trying to slow it down or cripple it in some way. As he drove the sword into its blood-red hide, he twisted it and pushed it further into the animal. The behemoth roared once more, as it moved its massive legs, trying to break free, the SeeD hung on to the sword and kept pushing and dragging it round. The more the beast struggled, the more damage the gunblade was doing to it. Fed up of trying to shake this irritation off it, the behemoth roared once more and violently jerked itself sideways, launching the SeeD and his weapon across the courtyard, back first into a pillar. Squall winced in pain as his spine smashed into the unforgiving structure. Dropping down to one knee he quickly glanced to the window. He saw the last glints of light reflecting off the sniper scope and he knew he had to act fast. Rolling himself round the pillar and lying in a prone position, he narrowly avoided taking a direct hit from the sniper.

**Squall**: "Coward!"

The sniper didn't reply. He was totally focused on the SeeD, tracking his every move through the scope of his rifle. Waiting for the behemoth to weaken him enough or distract him enough so he could take the kill shot and finish him off. Re-adjusting his aim, the sniper let another round go. Again this one had narrowly missed the trailing leg of Squall as he flung himself over a low wall to avoid a tail swipe from the beast the sniper unleashed. Squall raised his hand and released another blizzaga spell in the direction of the beast. This one found its mark perfectly, striking the beast on its nose before exploding into shards of ice and disappearing. The behemoth edged backwards. seemingly unsettled by the cold, Squall prepared another spell. Sending it out once again, this time aiming for the injured limb of the beast, a shot came from the vantage point and intercepted the blast of ice. Squall ducked down, the resulting explosion came across like a nail bomb, sending icicles in all directions. Squall held his gunblade up to cover his face, he could probably handle a shrapnel styled attack to his stomach but not his face, that would almost certainly leave him at the mercy of the beast. Staggering backwards from being hit with two or three of the shards, Squall flicked his sword out. He spun it round in his hand before charging in again. This time he dropped down, slicing in a horizontal motion along the joint in the beast's leg, aiming to sever any tendons. As his blade tore through the creatures flesh, he spun round, cutting clean through the creature but then fell backwards. His arm violently jolted as the gunblade made contact with what he assumed was the creature's bone. As he looked in the gaping wound in its foreleg he realized it wasn't actually bone, but armour. The same kind as that on its upper leg and sides. The Esthar guys had really gone to town on this. It couldn't be blinded, it was slightly faster in its attacks and it was quite defensive too. It seemed that trying to take the beast on through normal methods one would employ when fighting a behemoth were useless. It was designed to specifically deal with physical attack specialists. Realizing this, Squall fell back towards his initial hiding place, narrowly dodging yet another horn thrust from the beast and a shot from the sniper. Back against the wall, he looked up to the sky for the bird once more. It had saved his life before, maybe it could help him again? Possessing the bird with his specialized magic, he looked at the battlefield from his vantage point once again and paid more attention to the sniper and the way his scope moved. It was sweeping the field looking for any sign of Squall. He then looked to the behemoth and noticed a similar pattern in its movements, its head moved in a similar fashion - probing the battlefield, looking for his target. Whilst still looking through the eyes of the bird, Squall reached down and picked up a stone. Tossing it to his left, he watched as the beast's attention suddenly focused on the direction from where the sound came from and then almost immediately, moved straight towards the wall which Squall was using for cover.

_"Shit!"_

Squall leaped out from cover and rolled across the ground as the beast's head smashed horn first through the wall, removing yet another place for the SeeD to use as cover from the sniper. He frantically scrambled to his feet and blindly released a blizzaga spell, hitting the beast in the head with a glancing blow. Hoping his actions would buy him some time, Squall quickly headed to a pile of rubble he had used for cover earlier, near the bodies of the two Esthar soldiers he'd burned to death with the flare stone. From this vantage point, he looked out at the beast and then towards the sniper.

_"Ok, this approach doesn't seem to be working"_

Squall thought to himself what could he do to give him an advantage. He couldn't just skirt around the edge of the battlefield as he would have his cover systematically destroyed by the behemoth and he would be an easy target for the sniper. He couldn't take the beast head on either as he didn't have enough magic to deal with it and summoning a guardian would take too long. He had to find a way to disable the beast or get to the sniper and disable him. Each time he had edged towards the shooter's location whilst attacking the great beast, he was drove back with a ferocious assault of claws and bullets. This was no ordinary behemoth and even the most advanced beast tamers couldn't subdue a behemoth and have it work in perfect harmony with them. He knew it was technologically augmented, but he couldn't quite figure out how. Running various scenario's through his head, trying to reason out what the key detail he was missing was. Squall made another pass at the beast's injured foreleg. Slicing once again at the exposed wound, trying to avoid making contact with its skeletal structure, he spun round directly in front of the beast. Not the best place to be - the behemoth's mouth was arguably its most fearsome weapon. One wrong move or decision and Squall would be dead. That was it. He prepared to slice at the beast when he expected it to lunge forwards, but it didn't. Instead it looked around. Its white eyes were literally glazed over as it looked directly at him, but could not seem to see him. Not wanting to test any theories until he was just out of reach of the animal's mouth, Squall jumped up onto the creature's head and looked towards the sniper's window. He saw the scope begin to move in his direction, and at the same time he felt the creature's head move.

_"So that's how this thing works! His eyes are linked to the scope! When the sniper moves, so does the head. As long as he maintains a visual on me in some way, the creature can lock onto me and attack me, but he has to keep me in his sights somehow or he can't hit me! Odine, you are a clever bastard... almost too clever it seems!"_

Knowing he only had a few seconds to act, Squall spun the gunblade round, he pointed it down, tip first towards the beast and aimed for the spot between its shoulder armour and its neck. He jumped up, placed both hands on the hilt of the gunblade and drove it down with all his weight into the great beast. It let out a roar of agony. The pressure from this was unreal. Squall clung on tightly to the gunblade embedded in the beast and used all his weight to force it downwards, trying to pry the beast open and remove its leg in the process. Ducking down behind the beast, Squall heard the sound of bullets ricocheting off the beasts armour. He'd once again managed to dodge the sniper fire, but for how long? He knew if he held out any longer, playing cat and mouse, the soldier would simply switch to that explosive piercing round and he'd just be back on the defensive again. Squall held the handle of his gunblade tightly and brought his leg up. Planting it firmly against the beast, he yanked backwards, trying to dislodge his weapon but he couldn't. Instead, he was seperated from his weapon. The behemoth managed to get a lock on him and it caught him with its tail. Trapping him between its spikes, the creature flicked him aside, as if he were a toy being discarded by a toddler and it sent him once more, back first into a wall. Hitting the wall with more force than before, Squall's body limply fell to the floor. Landing in a prone position once more, the SeeD thought about his situation - low on magic, currently unarmed and fighting possibly the toughest behemoth on the planet, his pickings were slim and he had little or nothing in the way of a plan anymore. It was now about getting his weapon and surviving long enough to get to the sniper.

_"I doubt i can take another one of those fling attacks. If that thing heaves me once more, I'm done for."_

It was starting to look like the other side had the advantage now. Knowing that he only had one chance to get his weapon back and to try and disable the beast, Squall pushed himself back up onto his hands and knees, then to his feet. Dusting himself off whilst behind cover he cured himself, buying a few more minutes at best before trying to come up with another plan.

_"How do you fight a behemoth who is designed to nullify the effectiveness of a physical attacker and at the same time be strong against magic due to its handler and abilities?"_

As Squall pondered the situation he heard another bullet ricochet near him. He took stock of his inventory - a few flare and tornado stones, 3 grenades and an EMP Grenade. He had the means to briefly interrupt the link between beast and sniper, but it wouldn't last long enough for him to get his gunblade back. Casting a glance towards the burned corpses, his eyes narrowed as he focused on their weapons - the strange pick-axe shotgun combination. If he could get one of them, interrupt the feed between beast and sniper, he might just have a chance to get through, free his sword and then either try to eliminate the beast or get to the sniper. For this plan to succeed, his timing needed to be perfect. One wrong move and that would be it, Squall Leonhart, slayer of Ultimecia would meet his end at the hands of a sniper with a pet behemoth. As he looked at the sky, the last traces of daylight faded as the sun dipped below the horizon. The night would come soon and it would be harsh. No clouds meant it would be cold and the risk of exposure would grow significantly. Time was now his enemy also and the safest place for him to be was currently where the sniper lay, proud of himself for managing to survive against one of the greatest warriors to walk the face of the earth.

* * *

A/N:

The Dissidian Almanac is the term I am going to use when describing monsters as the behemoth's description is a quote from there which I felt summed up this colossal beast fairly well.


	4. Chapter 4 - Battling the beast

He had one shot to get this right. This was an entirely new combat situation for him. He had heard talk over the years of trying to control monsters on the battlefield and using them as soldiers. The fabled beast masters and tamers from folk tales, historical accounts and popular video games all had the common theme - they would manipulate the beast into doing their will, learn its special techniques then either release it or let it be killed. He knew a country like Esthar, technologically advanced and with a wealth of resources, secret projects, bright minds and plenty of mild monsters still to go around thanks to the last lunar cry six years ago. It seemed only logical that the first documented case of monster control in battle where a beast was acting on a human's orders would come from the land known as the silent continent. Squall eyed the beast. Making a mental diagram of it, he put every observation in place he had come across in the past 5 minutes - its attack speed, its strength, its movement patterns, the delay between the sniper moving and the beast acquiring a lock on him, the duration of the lock on him and how it acted when he was in hiding and the sniper was looking for him once again. He cast his thoughts back to the moment he found himself right in its face. Standing nose to nose with a live Behemoth was an uncomfortable situation but he had been in worse over the years. He kept his fear at bay during the unintentional stare off with a force of nature like that, but he vividly remembered his heart racing. The adrenaline circulating through his system, it made him feel alive, it made him come up with the bold and highly reckless plan to jump onto its head and to try and impale his sword in it in order to cleave its limb off. The impalement was a success given the fact he was disarmed, but that was the only bright thing about the plan. Squall scratched his head for a moment, he had the question - how do i do this? He had all the facts - the combat experience. He just needed to realize he also had the answer in him. Waiting for everything to align as the thoughts raced in his mind, he looked around the corner of the post and watched the beast some more. Its head kept moving, sweeping left to right but at a slower pace than the last time. Maybe the sniper was being more careful in his observations, ensuring the beast could use anything small to get a lock on him. Or maybe it was because the beast had been hurt and those survival instincts, its feral tendencies were slowly creeping in. The beast may have been augmented by technology - armoured skeleton, cybernetic eyes, armour plating, status defense junctioning, but at the end of the day, it was still a living creature, it was alive.

_"Its Alive!"_

Squall exclaimed to himself what many would term the obvious fact. He had let such a small detail slip his mind as he fought against it and tried to examine its strengths and weaknesses. He completely missed the obvious detail, getting caught up in his attack plans, he forgot that at the heart of it, this was not some artificially created robot with flesh, it was a real living creature. It behaved like one, it felt pain. He saw that when he buried his sword deep into its leg and the creature retaliated with a reflex like tail swipe. It didn't immediately follow-up with an attack because its main focus was to create space for itself and attack if anything came near it. A cornered animal is a dangerous one after all. Realizing that the now injured Behemoth would be twice as dangerous, Squall assessed his options once more. He had the EMP grenade - the key to disrupting the link between handler and the beast. Squall was hoping that the beast would break into a feral rage when the pulse disrupted the link between it and the sniper, giving him time to grab his sword and make directly for the sniper. Failing that, his other plan was to get the sword and finish what he started on the beast - incapacitate it and try to get the sniper before any other unexpected developments came their way. He knew it was standard procedure for Estharian assassination teams to radio in for an air strike to destroy the area around them as a last resort and he knew if it looked like the sniper had no other alternative, he would call it in without hesitation. Whichever way he looked at this situation and whatever possible scenario he came up with in his mind, he knew he had a further five minutes at best otherwise everything was going to go to hell. A very fiery, explosive hell.

Ducking out of his cover, Squall ran forwards. He tripped almost but managed to recover his footing before sliding across the floor. He grabbed the dead soldiers weapon. Pushing himself up, he gripped it tightly in his right hand and held it out at his side, like he would with his gunblade when he was ready to charge. In his left hand he held the EMP grenade. Focusing on the situation at hand, he felt his nerves speed up once again, his muscles responded quicker and his reflexes did too. he had cast haste on himself once more. He knew time was his enemy so he had to make every second count. Rushing forwards, the SeeD vaulted himself into the air. He threw the pick-axe at his gunblade. The impact of the throw dislodged the sword enough so it fell out from the beast's flesh and down onto the floor. He landed, bracing himself, he watched the beast suddenly turn to face him. It had locked onto him. He tensed himself, paying attention to its hind legs. They tensed up as the beast pulled its body back. He knew what was coming - Heave. The signature physical attack of a Behemoth - a dual horn thrust which trapped its foe and then launched them up into the air, the idea being to incapacitate them, rendering them an easy target for it to finish off with its fangs. Standing his ground, Squall closed his eyes for a second. Allowing himself the chance to focus, he opened his eyes and set his plan into motion. For the electromagnetic pulse to have maximal disruption and to be fully effective, he had to let it go at the last possible second. Jumping backwards and moving towards the injured limb of the beast, Squall pulled the trigger on the pulse grenade and moved forwards. He threw it as hard as it could at the wound in the beast and took a deep breath. If everything went to plan, the grenade would be lodged in the wound, and the resulting detonation would disrupt the link between beast and sniper, long enough for him to get his sword and make a run for the ruined building where his real enemy lay in wait. The beast swiped at him, nearly catching him with its claws but the SeeD's agility was too much for it. Back-flipping out the way in a similar fashion to Zell, Squall landed in a low crouched position and then made his run. As he burst forwards a blue light exploded from the shoulder of the Behemoth - the pulse went off. Like small serpents, the electric current slithered its way around the beast and wrapped itself tightly around it. Hoping it would work the way he had intended it to, Squall boldly ran past the beast's face and scooped up his gunblade. As he grasped it in his hands again, he turned to face the Behemoth. Instead of pure white eyes, the beastly yellow color was present. It seemed he had brought the beast back to its normal senses, but this wasn't necessarily a good thing. Behemoths were dangerous and Squall stood feet from a wounded, technologically enhanced one. The beast lunged at him, this was the move Squall had hoped for. He jumped towards it, flicking his sword out as he moved and landed on the beast's neck once again. He pulled a grenade from his pocket and in one swift motion, he pulled the pin on it and let it go. As it dropped down, he ran towards the tail of the beast before jumping off it. The beast, distracted by the sound of the grenade and the resulting explosion, but the diversionary tactic had bought him enough time to get exactly where he needed to be - the base of the sniper's building.

**Sniper**: "What the fuck is going on? I can't control this thing... Whats that fucking SeeD done!"

The sniper was blinded by rage, his 'ace in the hole' - the behemoth was compromised. At first he thought how the SeeD had incapacitated it and countered it was impressive, he expected nothing less from the man who had once held the rank of SeeD Commander and known by many as "The Legendary SeeD" or "The SeeD of Prophecy". Every generation has its warrior who stood tall among the elite and he happened to be facing him now. The brief admiration however had quickly turned to disgust and hatred. He knew he couldn't survive a one on one battle with the SeeD, he knew he would need ground support or some way to re-engage the Behemoth unit, but all he could do for the moment was watch through his scope and take shots where he could. As he lined up his shot, waiting for the right moment he suddenly realized something.

**Sniper**: "He's... going to take out the Behemoth? This could work in my favour"

Squall adopted a fighting stance, he watched the Behemoth closely, but at the same time he also kept his eye on the second floor window. By using his gunblade like a mirror once again, he could just about make out the edge of the rifle's barrel. He knew the shot was being lined up at him and he knew one wrong move would end it, so he had to be quick. Digging deep within himself, Squall felt a power building. It was a desperate situation and he knew one way to capitalize on this - Renzokuken.  
Using his adrenaline, he pushed forwards. Slicing at the beast with a combination of horizontal, diagonal and vertical cuts. Subtle flicks of his wrist and twists of his body made his exact attack pattern a mystery to the watching sniper. He was in disbelief at how fluid the motions were as the gunblade wielder delivered what must have been the eighth blow before he jumped back. The Behemoth was bleeding profusely, it lowered its head, almost as if it was accepting defeat, but Squall knew different. Behemoths were known right before they died to cast a powerful magic spell, most commonly meteor or flare. This was what he was banking on. The SeeD knew he could deliver the finishing blow, but that instead would only put him directly in the way of the creatures final attack. Instead he stood his ground as the beast let out one final roar before expelling the magical energy build up in it. The energy was released as several small objects all traveling at high-speed. Meteor.

**Sniper**: "He's done for..."

Squall had banked on this. He knew there was room to dodge some of the magic but he wouldn't escape unharmed. He knew he would have to take at least one part of the spell head on, but by doing so, he would position himself perfectly to let the rest of the spell bombard the sniper who seemed totally oblivious to what was happening below him. Expecting the sniper to be proudly communicating his success to mission control, Squall closed his eyes and braced for impact. It was quick.

Squall's body took one of the meteor blasts head on. It exploded next to him. The force of the blast sent him rolling across the floor into a largely untouched corner of the battlefield. It must have been the third time that the behemoth had sent him hurtling backwards into an uncomfortable landing and counted himself lucky not to have broken anything as the dull ache from the impact worked its way across his body. Taking a few breaths to compose himself, Squall looked up at the structure the sniper had used for cover - it was ruined. The force of the meteor spell had brought it crashing down onto the courtyard floor. Hopefully the sniper wasn't crushed to death in the resulting action. A strange thought at first given how the man and his team had hunted him down for the best part of a day, but he could offer some answers for him at least - troop movements, position of mission control, 'hot' areas where he could lay low and recover. Pushing himself up onto his feet, he gripped his gunblade tightly and proceeded towards the ruined building with extreme caution. One slip up, one lucky trap, he was dead. It all ended there. As he reached the ruined two-story building, he heard a faint groaning noise. Pulling some of the rubble aside and looking into the darkness, he just about made out the sniper lying there in the corner. He was lucky - the way the building had fallen protected him from the elements and from being crushed to death, but the fall had seriously hurt him. Judging by the rate of his breathing and the pained groans, the sniper had hours to live with no medical assistance at best. Knowing that he couldn't realistically save or help the man, after all he had spent the past day trying to murder him and if he tried to get him help, the first response would be to pursue him even harder to make sure he didn't survive or get away. Realizing his only options were leave him to die, or give him a quick death, Squall knew he had to get answers. Picking up a broken wall torch, he focused his will into a bright burning light and cast the basic fire spell at the wooden object, lighting the room up.

**Sniper**: "Shit... Guess its game over... Go on... Do it you fucking coward. Kill me now"

Squall simply shook his head

**Squall**: "No. I need information first. You give me what I need to know, and I promise you won't feel a thing. It will be quick, clean and painless"

The sniper resisted the urge to fight back. He could easily free up his service revolver and shoot the SeeD where he stood, but at the same time, he knew the SeeD could just torture him, toy with him for hours before he finally succumbed to the everlasting peace. He knew death was inevitable, he just had to wonder how it would come. His destiny was in his hands. As he considered reaching for the service pistol once more a voice interrupted him.

**Squall**: Don't. You kill me, and then what? Do you seriously think Esthar will come save you, get you to safety and give you a big parade? Get real! You know if thou kill me now, you radio it in and instead of a rescue team, a strike team will come and level this entire area, erasing all trace of us both. They'd be able to say you killed me, but would pass it off as you died from wounds in battle. Your family would get some little bronze star and a plaque on the wall, but that's it. The great sniper who killed the legendary SeeD, killed by his own people.

The sniper wanted to scream. Squall outlined his situation perfectly. With death by the SeeD he would at least die on his own terms and be respected and treated with dignity. After agonizing over the decision not many people wish they had to make - deciding their own death, he sighed heavily.

**Sniper**: "Fine!" (pause) "I'll tell you what you need to know, but in return you do something for me."

Squall looked at the man. He knew this wasn't a power play, or a last-ditch attempt at trying to be the hero. The last words of a dying man held great power. Deathbed confessions could swing court cases, incriminate or exonerate people, they could be blessings or curses depending on the person listening.

**Squall**: Go on.

The sniper coughed. At first it just seemed like he was trying to catch his breath, but it was obvious he was struggling to breathe. He was starting to slowly drown in his own lungs. He fumbled at his neck and removed his dog tags. Aside from the standard issue two, there was a third one - it had names and dates engraved on it.

**Sniper**: "You find some way... to get these to Esthar... The third one... My family... Get it to them."

The sniper coughed up a little blood. It seemed that his time was approaching quicker than expected. Squall nodded. He took the man's tags and saluted him. The sniper smiled for a moment. Maybe the fact death was creeping up on him had given him clarity and closure on his life. He found himself admiring the SeeD - his combat skills were second to none, and although he never intended to die in battle, at least he was bested by someone who was worthy.

**Sniper**: "You're a good man Leonhart... Ignoring your crimes and the trail of destruction you have left across the world, you are a good man"

Squall tried to pass off the back-handed compliment, but he couldn't. He had to milk this mans ego and give him the peace he wanted in exchange for the information he was after. He was totally unaware of the fact the man spoke the truth - Squall Leonhart was a wanted man.

**Squall**: "Thanks"... "I'll make this quick - point out on my map where troops are stationed and where I can lay low, and then tell me everything you know about Angel"

Passing the man his map and a pen, he sat there and waited for the information he needed. As he did, he put the dog tags in his pocket. He planned to drop them off at the nearest military base once he had got near enough to one. He never broke a promise to a dying man or woman before, he wasn't going to do so now.

* * *

**A/N:**

That combat chapter was quite fun to write I felt.

Next up - Squall finds out some truths


	5. Chapter 5 - Questions

Squall cast a cure spell on the wounded soldier. He knew it wouldn't help him, but he knew it would buy him an hour or more longer getting the information he needed. The man had already marked out on the map squall carried where the 4 nearest bases were in the region surrounding Odin's ruins and even shown him where his units drop off and pick up point was too. The SeeD was thankful for the intel. He knew the soldier could have just refused to help him, and he also knew the soldier could be lying too. That was a risk he was willing to take. After all, he was alone. He had no one to command or look out for. No one to protect, no one to help him or to rely on. All he had was himself and whatever resources he could find on his path, wherever that may have led him. Gathering up more wooden shards which had fallen when the building had collapsed, he kept them close. Knowing a huge fire would be wasted on the both of them, Squall simply kept one piece of wood burning at a time to give enough light to watch the man's condition and to assess his body language, to determine if he was holding back or if he was lying to him.

**Squall**: "So you're special ops then?"

The sniper nodded. he tried to conserve his energy and only spoke when it was relevant - whether it was to confirm, deny or expand on any information squall was reasoning out. It was a one-sided interrogation really, but it was providing some answers, albeit very vague ones.

**Squall**: "What do you know about "Angel" then? Is it an Esthar operation? Galbadian?"

The man shook his head. Squall seemed disheartened at first with this response. He had hoped it was a project name for a weapon, maybe like the behemoth he faced before, weaponizing wild monsters to be used as pseudo-guardians, to rival the para-magic and GF system the Balamb SeeD's were so adept with. One where powerful monsters could be summoned without the cost junctioning came with - memory issues and in some cases psychological disorders and nervous system illnesses.

**Squall**: "So if it isn't an operation or a project, it must be a person or a group?"

The sniper nodded

**Squall**: "A group?"

The sniper shook his head at first then shrugged. This line of questioning was long-winded, but using simple closed questions like this helped skirt round any grey areas, it either was or wasn't. With a better grasp of the basic facts, Squall could draw his own theory and work with that at a later date.

**Squall**: "So Angel is a person... Are they affiliated with any of the major powers?"

The sniper shook his head and then looked at him, expecting him to already know this fact. This response and reaction unsettled the SeeD slightly. Did the sniper expect him to already know the basics about Angel? Squall was at a loss as he racked his brain. He had heard the name mentioned many times over the past year, but before that he had heard nothing. It had to be a more recent event, but how it escaped him he couldn't quite understand.

**Squall**: "Ok then, lets change the questions... Why did Esthar send a unit after me?"

The sniper's expression turned to one of disbelief. Why was Squall Leonhart, the most wanted man in the world, asking him why he was being hunted down by Esthar? Surely he should know why he is being hunted with capture or kill orders. The sniper mused to himself as Squall tried to think of another question.

**Sniper**: _(to self) I thought this guy was meant to be the perfect warrior. Intelligent, tactically cunning, unrivaled strength, the greatest gunblader in the world, both sides of Time Compression... Why is he asking me about Angel and why he is being hunted. He should know already, he's the one who started all this 2 years ago!_

**Squall**: "You seemed confused?"

**Sniper**: (out loud) "I don't get it"

The sniper coughed. Squall leaned towards him and helped prop him up against the wall, trying to make it a bit easier for him to breathe

**Sniper**: "2 years ago, August 4A.C. Fisherman's Horizon. That incident familiar to you?"

Squall struggled to think. His mind had been a wreck the past few years. The sniper looked at squall and realised this - he had no idea what he had done.

**Sniper**: "You really don't remember do you? It was all over the news, Galbadia and Esthar were at a summit in FH, there was talk of a trade agreement. You were hired by President Laguna... well I say hired, you are his soon so it was probably a formality for you to turn up to provide security and muscle to guard the Esthar camp. You did after all single handedly lift the siege at the east academy train station earlier that year assisting Timber freedom fighters who had managed to drive out the last remnants of the Galbadian army"

Squall tried to focus on the events he was being told. He knew about the siege. It was probably the bloodiest battle in timber's history, even bloodier than the Timber army's final stand at the train station 17 years before the time compression event. Timber was slowly getting back on its feet after the G-army had been driven out, but then they launched a full-scale assault. Trapping the army at East Academy Station. Squall remembered going into the battle solo. The other SeeD dispatched to help with the war effort were keeping the city safe and also preventing any further reinforcements from reaching the train station. The Seed Commander cut through the enemy ranks at night whilst they regrouped for a final assault and with the help of his guardian forces, decimated their entire armoured division and wiped out a third of their troops. Timber scouts watching the battle said they saw a giant dragon raining hell down on the army encampment and out of the wreckage and the flames walked one lone bloodied swordsman who no one dared pursue. Many people after that likened him to the mythological warrior Sephiroth who laid waste to towns in the tales about him - razing them to the ground and cutting down anything which stood in his way just to accomplish his goal. People said the look in Squall's eyes that night wasn't the normally cold, detached SeeD commander on business, but that of the devil himself. He was like a man possessed.

**Squall**: "I remember the battle, I also remember being at FH, but i don't remember much else after that"

The sniper took a few deep breaths and continued.

**Sniper**: "The details are sketchy, in Esthar we were told one version of events. Those in Galbadia had been told another version of events, but the best explanation was provided by the guys from Dollet in their news reports and cables. They said when you arrived along side President Laguna, the representative of Galbadia - General Caraway went berserk. His name isn't fury for nothing. He was claimed to have drawn his ceremonial sabre on you and Laguna, claiming this was a set up intended to cut the head off of the Galbadian military and then to allow a joint SeeD-Esthar opperation to take over his country."

Squall was taken aback by the revelation. Surely he would remember Rinoa's father drawing a sword on him at a peace talks summit about some mundane trade agreement or espionage treaty or research pact.

**Sniper**: "You disarmed him and threatened to slit his throat and raze Deiling city if he even tried anything, which got the headlines alright - Galbadia took it as a direct proclamation of war, given how you were already assisting a rebellion in Timber against them"

Squall just sat in silence looking at the man as he continued his tale. He hung on his every word, paying close attention to the details and was trying to put the pieces together. It seemed genuine and explained why half the world would be after him, but he just couldn't remember why. His guardian forces only preyed on what squall deemed irrelevant memories - ones he didn't hold much regard for from his childhood or meetings of no importance as he already had the details in front of him. There is no way he would have forgotten or allowed something like this to have been cast aside and removed from existence.

**Sniper**: "In the night, President Laguna's quarters had been attacked - the president escaped unharmed, but in the resulting chaos in helping him retreat from the situation, Mayor Dobe's residence was also attacked by an unknown swordsman - Flo Dobe was brutally killed in her sleep and her body was left on the table of the summit's meeting room. On her forearm, burned into her skin was the word 'Angel'..."

Squall looked shocked. This was starting to sound believable, but it was too far-fetched at the same time. Who would butcher the wife of the head of state at the same time as trying to instigate a war between Esthar, SeeD and Galbadia? The questions raced around his mind as he tried to process all this information he was being fed.

**Sniper**: "People tried to blame you for the murder. It was forensically impossible to prove whether a G-sabre or a gunblade had killed Flo Dobe, but because you were a SeeD and the people of FH didn't take kindly to you, Galbadia tried to spin it on you. You were a highly skilled mercenary and a gunblade user who was in town that time. Even though you were present during the attack on Laguna by what was assumed to be Galbadia, Flo was killed so you couldn't be put in the frame for that, everyone had seen you fend off the mysterious attackers and they knew you stayed at your father's side all night... But the fact still lingered - someone had been slain by a sword and popular belief was it had been a gunblade. The added fact that the corpse was mutilated with a cryptic message carved into it. Garden tried to pass it off as ex-cadet and one time commander in the Galbadian army Seifer Almsay, but this was a dead end and reeked of desperation as he was in Balamb at the time of the event."

Squall cleared his throat

**Squall**: "So, I defended the president of Esthar, why does Esthar want me dead?"

The sniper coughed again

**Sniper**: "September 4A.C. A terrorist attack on the Odine labs. A group claiming they were representing 'Angel' tried to hijack Odine's lab and start the Lunatic Pandora remotely, hoping to cleanse Esthar with another lunar cry. We hadn't got over the last one at that point, we still haven't now, 6 years after it happened!"

**Squall**: "How do I fit into this?"

The sniper smiled

**Sniper**: "They were SeeDs - they had Balamb Garden all over them. Since you were the commander of SeeD at the time of the incident you were immediately fingered for the blame. You went to Esthar with a small party to try to calm the situation, but when you arrived there, at the government's headquarters with the intention to smooth this over. When you were inside, one of your party was wearing a suicide vest and they took out a huge part of the Estharian government, all key allies to president Laguna. You escaped somehow, but because of the attack and the fact they were under your command even if they acted outside of it, the president had no choice but to issue the orders to bring you in. It destroyed him - his own son leading a band of terrorists. Garden released a press statement saying you went rogue, cutting all ties with you and said it was ordering its own hunt to kill order on you to restore its reputation somehow. They claimed when they investigated your office, they found files and links to "Angel" which said you were working for her, funding her and her cause, and that her power base was out here in the ruins of Centra."

The sniper grew breathless. This was hard for him. The more he went on, the more withdrawn Squall had become. He couldn't believe that he was believed to be responsible for a terrorist act. He couldn't believe his father and his own army were hunting him down.

**Squall**: "What happened to president Laguna?"

**Sniper**: (coughs) "He was deposed and replaced by a hardline conservative - Albert Bergenkampt. He was a refugee during the Adel - his family fled when he was a child just before the sorceress came to power in Esthar. They helped fund the rebellion against Adel. Years later when Laguna was in power, he was a junior politician who had old money behind him. This allowed him to reach the rank of congressman. That was 2 years before the last lunar cry, you know, what people now refer to as Time Compression, or 2B.C, Bitter at his family who helped arm the rebels who overthrew Adel and not being recognized or rewarded, Bergenkampt opposed Laguna at every opportunity, trying to make his life more difficult and over the years he garnered more support. President Laguna was a liability to some factions in the government and country so they rallied to his cause."

**Squall**: "So, what did he do then? Claim Laguna was working with SeeD to remove everyone who opposed him since his popularity was taking a hit?"

**Sniper**: "Essentially yes. People didn't want to believe it at first, but then when you shown up at FH with him, seemingly fresh from the massive battle in Timber, people took notice. You were perceived to be on edge all the time, itching for a fight or another incident. 'Bloodlust' some people called it...". News reports claimed sources close to you or who claimed to know you said that the battle in Timber had made you snap. It was the only explanation they could logically offer.

Squall sat in silence, listening.

**Sniper**: "His first act was to exile Laguna and his aides and any family he had before shutting the countries borders, increasing the mobilization of the Estharian army and cutting any contracts Esthar had with Garden - arms deals, training, trade. He wanted to cleanse Esthar of any outside influences. It looked like another Adel was on the rise to many people."

Squall sighed. He would never have done something like this to any nation, not Galbadia, not Timber, not Dollet... He liked Esthar, not just because of his family connections, but because it felt like home to him, even if he was born in Winhill, Garden and Esthar always seemed like home to him.

**Sniper**: "That was 2 years ago. Up until 3 weeks ago, no one had ever had a concrete sighting of you. Where have you been? We were lucky to find you. Esthar, Garden and Galbadia are all tracking you."

The sniper coughed some more. He slumped down and his eyes struggled to stay awake. As the life started to fade from the man across from him, Squall shook his head in disbelief. The last clear memory he had - arriving at FH 2 years ago to aid president Laguna, but after that, nothing. It was as if he lost 2 years of his life and he only woke up earlier this week - in Centra, alone, low on supplies and under attack from Esthar. He had no idea he was a fugitive and wanted dead or alive. He didn't even realize it was 6AC, he had lost all track of time. At first he wondered if Elle could help him. She specialized in sending people back into the past. Pondering how to go about contacting her, he realized that he would only be putting her in jeopardy if he did try to reach out to her, and what if she believed the news? She wouldn't help him if he was responsible for all the acts of aggression against Esthar, even if they did exile her and her family. He had to find some way of getting to the truth himself.

Squall glanced at the man's dog tags. Sgt. Leighton was engraved in them. He could sense that the man was almost at the end of his time now. He had been a great help but he had left him with far more questions than answers.

**Squall**: Sergent Leighton. Thank you. You have helped me so much in the past hours. I have many more questions for you, but it seems I won't be able to ask you any more. I will honour your last request to me, you were a true soldier.

Squall stood up and saluted the sergeant. The sniper looked up, he smiled and then closed his eyes for the last time. Seeing that the man had now succumbed to unconsciousness, Squall knelt over him. He took a deep breath and whispered in his ear.

**Squall**: Forgive me... I intended no harm to ever come to your country. I promise I will find who is responsible for all of this, and they will be brought to justice.

Squall quickly paced his hands on either side of the soldier's neck and twisted them. With minimal effort, he snapped the mans neck, granting him the painless death he had promised. Granted he had drawn it out trying to get information from him, but he promised to make it clean for him. Squall let go of the man as his body fell to the floor. Lying him down, Squall stepped back and leaned against the wall. Bringing his knees up, he put his arms around them and lowered his head into the gap he had created. Now he was alone. In the middle of Centra and being hunted by half the world. The questions flew around his head. How could he have lost 2 years of his life? Why did this happen? What caused this to happen? Who was Angel? What did they want with him? The SeeD looked at the burning torch on the floor which kept the broken building illuminated. It offered little warmth but the light of the fire was comforting, almost hypnotic. He watched the flames crackle and flicker, shifting from left to right making the air above and around them shimmer and distort.

He fell under their spell and became lost in a trance.


	6. Chapter 6 - Dreams pt1 - A SeeD

**FLASHBACK - Fisherman's Horizon outskirts. September 16th, 4A.C**

Squall stood alone at the edge of the town. Dressed in his usual civilian attire - black leather pants, his black leather jacket and a white shirt he looked at his surroundings. First to what seemed to be an endless expanse of water. The location of Fisherman's Horizon was right in the middle of the trans-continental railway, as far away from any land as you could possibly get. The ocean seemed to stretch on for an eternity. To the north of him was the Rinauld coast, the southern tip of the land he called home - Balamb. To the south was the northern most tip of the Centra continent - the Nectar Peninsula, located at the end of the Serengeti Plains. Behind him, to the east was Esthar and the Great Salt Lake and in front of him, to the west was Fisherman's Horizon which then ultimately led onto Mandy Beach, the south eastern part of Timber's continental borders and a popular holiday resort, usually free of the fighting and bloodshed. He set down Lionheart - his fabled adamintine gunblade in its scabbard and set his travel bag down along side it. Closing his eyes, he deeply inhaled through his nose and then through his mouth. The sea air calmed him, it always had. Even though Fisherman's Horizon was always at odds with him due to his career, his lifestyle and just everything about him, the tranquility this place resonated appealed to him. Almost like the efficiency of the Estharians to his east - ordered and structured. Squall felt at ease here, a rarity for the SeeD Commander given his current assignment - guarding his father, Laguna Loire, President of Esthar on a trade delegation with the Galbadians. He never liked the political crap. That was the one thing he hated about his role in Garden. They expected him to be more administrative than leading the charge. Functions, social gatherings, diplomacy, negotiations, paperwork, bills. It was too much red tape for the twenty-one year old who had spent almost all his life training for battle, learning the arts of espionage and following orders had endured a rough four years since the events people now referred to as "Compression". His sudden promotion and everyone's hopes and aspirations being placed on him was an unwelcome burden and many expected him to just get on with it... Well not everyone. Squall reached down into his pocket. He pulled out his cellphone and flicked the screen, bringing its display to life. A black and white picture of Rinoa was his screen saver. He smiled at it, checking the time once more before he put it away once again. Deciding to take in more of the atmosphere before the trade delegation arrived and he was summoned, Squall gathered his belongings and walked towards the train station at the side of the tracks. It was the same one he set out from four years ago with the comatose sorceress on his back. Smiling at the memory, he sat down on the bench in the same place he did four years ago and watched the birds over the ocean. He let his mind wander as the gentle motions of the ocean allowed him to let go and daydream. A luxury the SeeD commander rarely had these days.

**Balamb Garden. Squall's office, June 6th, 2 months after compression**

The SeeD Commander sat at his desk. It was getting late. Aside from leading some training sessions, handling some press releases and taking one field trip with junior classmen to the fire cavern, Squall hadn't set foot outside of Garden since they returned from time compression after defeating Ultimecia. After defeating 3 powerful sorceresses, defeating some of the most fearsome monsters and fallen GF's in the universe, from past, present and future and saving the world in such a short space of time. As well as actually coming back from the dead in the expanse of nothingness which was left in the wake of Ultimecia's defeat, Squall should have been able to be unphased by anything. Logic would dictate that he would be fearless in all aspects of his life but that was far from it. As a cadet and just an ordinary SeeD, Squall was complicit in following orders. As Commander, he would shy away from any duties he possibly could just to avoid paperwork or being alone with her - Rinoa. The two had quite a journey, saving each others lives many times, each one always going further than the other to help. Squall thought he held the record by jettisoning himself from an escape pod in space with a limited oxygen supply to catch her drifting body before bringing her back to earth on an abandoned cool as fuck looking spaceship. But she topped it. She allowed herself to get caught in the fallout of the compression to go looking for him. She couldn't lose him after all he had gone through and when she found him, she thought he already was gone. Eventually she managed to help him find himself and got him back safely to the present time, but in the two months since, things had been.. complicated. He knew she liked him, she knew he liked her. It should have been simple but his social awkwardness and his friend's constant meddling in the matters just blew the whole thing out of proportion.

Squall looked at the clock on his desk - 22:30. He had to wrap this up and eventually get to bed, as tomorrow would more than likely be the same - more paperwork, more red tape and more diplomacy. He knew his friends would try to help in any way they could, especially Rinoa, but he just couldn't focus around them, especially her. They shared a special moment at the party they held to celebrate saving the world. Many people assumed they had hooked up and were in a relationship, something which he had hoped would happen but he had too many questions flying around his head, and he was never given more than a few minutes alone to try and see her or work something out. Tonight was hopefully the first chance they could sit down and realistically talk about their situation. They both loved each other, both had confessed it, but then were both too stubborn to try anything with it. Rinoa wanted to scream from the top of Garden that they were an item, whislt Squall wanted to give into his desires and just lock the door behind the both of them and never leave the room. Quistis and Xu often tried to take over some of the administrative duties of his role so he could finally ask Rinoa out on a date, but every time he tried, something came up which required his attention. Squall hoped tonight would be different. He really did. As he closed the file he was working on and put it in his draw, he looked up at the door. He hadn't noticed it open. Standing there in her usual attire - a black vest top with black shorts on under a light blue skirt, black ankle high boots and her usual blue floor length cardigan styled duster coat draped across her shoulders and fastened at her waist, Rinoa smiled at him.

**Rinoa**: "May I have a moment Commander?"

Rinoa flashed him a cheeky smile. It was the same tone of voice and look she gave him when she tried to get him to come to the garden festival committee's concert at FH 6 weeks ago. Squall knew what game she was playing. He motioned for her to take a seat. As she sat down he glanced over her shoulder and out the door. Peeking round the corner were Selphie, Irvine and Zell. He shook his head and pressed a button under his desk which automatically shut and locked his door. He knew his friends were just prying but he didn't need any distractions tonight. He looked back at her and couldn't help but admire her. He pale skin, was the perfect contrast to her dark brown hair. He leant over the desk and brushed a lock of her hair from out of her face. Being caught off guard by this act, Rinoa pushed his hand away and blushed, unable to meet his eyes. She sheepishly looked at the floor, trying to avoid his gaze but as she played hard to get she had fallen into his trap. She looked up, and instead of being on the opposite side of the desk to her, He was kneeling down in front of her. He took both her hands in his and looked into her eyes. He could have stayed like that forever. The two of them alone, connected together by some magical bond made from both promise and romance. Smiling, Squall moved in and kissed her. The kiss seemed to last a lifetime to the both of them. It made them feel like the way they did at night under the moonlight after surviving the toughest test any of them had faced in their lives. Reluctantly pulling away so she could talk, Rinoa looked into Squalls eyes once more and squeezed his hand.

**Rinoa**: "Well hello to you too mister Commander! I hope that isn't how you greet all the SeeDs and ladies around here!"

Squall blushed at the joke as Rinoa pulled tongues at him. She knew he was still having trouble being a human instead of a SeeD. The whole emotions, personal connections and feelings issue was new to him and she had taken it upon herself to be his teacher. After all, what good was a knight if he didn't express himself to his sorceress?

**Squall**: _(stuttering slightly)_ "Just you, oh powerful one"

Rinoa playfully pushed him away and stood up. Squall followed suit and she slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. Squall let his arms slide down her back and he held onto her loosely. It wasn't as tight as Rinoa would have liked, but it was a start at least. The past two months of playing cat and mouse with him had entertained many people at Garden, but it was becoming tiresome to everyone. The gossip well had near enough dried up and had turned into a betting pool which had been organized by Irvine. People were betting on when the two would hook up and Rinoa had even turned down many bribes in order to maintain her integrity and to avoid any suspicions she knew would have been cast her way. She didn't want to pressure Squall into anything he wasn't ready for, but at the same time she had to at least encourage him. She let go of him, looked up and kissed him on the cheek.

**Rinoa**: "I missed you this week. I wish you'd let Xu and Quisty help out from time to time, you need a break!"

Squall sighed, he didn't want work to become a theme in this conversation, given that how the last time it did, Rinoa ran out crying after he inadvertently upset her. Putting his finger on her lips to silence her. He spoke up.

**Squall**: "Remember last time? No work talk!"

Rinoa attempted to stomp her feet, but the SeeD did something unexpected, he picked her up by her waist and lifted her clear off the floor so she was kicking at the air

**Rinoa**: "Put me down Squall Leonhart! Your Sorceress commands you!"

**Squall**: _(Sarcastically)_ "As you wish master"

Squall unceremoniously dumped her on the desk and walked to the window. His office had its own balcony. He opened the door and stepped out, motioning for her to follow him. She followed suit and stopped at the doorway. Her jaw dropped as she was awestruck. On his balcony there was a table set for two, candles and an ice bucket with champagne in it. Squall took her by the hand and led her to the table. He pulled her chair out and motioned for her to sit before he sat down himself. There was no food on the table, just two glasses and the bottle of champagne.

**Rinoa**: "Squall... I..." _(she paused)_ "You did all this fo..."

Squall placed his finger on her lips once again.

**Rinoa**: "Squall Leonhart, if you want to know what silence actually is, I will happily cast it on you!"

Rinoa held up her finger and allowed it to glow white before she let it subside. She held out her glass and Squall obliged. He opened the bottle of champagne with minimal fuss, preventing any foamy explosion like what usually happens. Releasing the cork from his hands, he put it down on the table and filled her glass before he filled his.

**Rinoa**: "You're supposed to let it explode everywhere!"

**Squall**: "And what? Waste the alcohol? Do you know how many favours I had to pull just to get this one bottle?"

Rinoa pretended to work it out on her hands, mockingly counting things and biting her bottom lip. She then childishly clapped her hands together.

**Rinoa**: "None! I overheard you talking to Irvine who offered to buy you it since you couldn't get off base in exchange for a bit more gil than usual - commission he called it"

Rinoa winked at him. She loved teasing Squall. He was so gullible sometimes it was hard to believe he was the commander of an elite mercenary force which the world both respected and feared. But tonight, in this moment he wasn't Commander Leonhart, Slayer of Ultimecia. He was Squall Leonhart, a lovestruck confused 17-year-old who was only seconds away from actually having a serious girlfriend... if only he'd have the bottle to ask her already. She leaned forwards, taking a sip from her glass and gazed into his eyes. She tried to find a way to break the ice and not-so-awkward silence which was forming.

**Rinoa**: "Remember that time when I said you're going to like me, and it worked?"

Squall spluttered. He'd been sipping his drink and Rinoa bringing up one of her plays she used on him made the drink 'go down the wrong hole'

**Rinoa**: "Wow, that wasn't the reaction I expected"

Squall tried to apologise but Rinoa put her finger on his lips instead to silence him. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards her. They were close enough to have their foreheads and the tips of their noses touching. There was no escape, nowhere to run. Rinoa thought so much about what was going to happen in the next few minutes. Knowing Squall was now like a baby chocobo caught in headlights, she backed away slightly, but before she could pull away further, Squalls hand cupped the back of her head. He kissed her passionately once more, knocking over both their glasses of champagne. In what seemed like an eternity for them both, he pulled away and brushed his hand through his hair. He looked at the floor for a moment before taking a deep breath

**Squall**: "Rin... I err... Will..."

Rinoa giggled. The mighty SeeD had finally met his match on the battlefield - a spunky teenage girl!

**Rinoa**: "Will I...?"

**Squall**: "Rinoawillyougooutwithme?"

Squall felt relieved. He had finally managed to get it out, get one thing off his chest. He felt proud of himself at first until he realized he actually just said every word all at once not making it actually recognizable. It had killed him these past two months, he couldn't take it anymore, all the tension, the frustration, he just needed to get it out there. In his head it sounded like he spoke clearly and slowly, instead all he'd mumbled something extremely fast which sent her into a fit of laughter.

**Rinoa**: "Am I THAT scary mister SeeD?"

Squall turned bright red. Rinoa brushed the back of her hand against his cheek before she took hold of his hand again.

**Rinoa**: "Squall, don't be so scared, just say it, say whatever you have to..."

Rinoa thought to herself this was it. All she had worked towards, this moment... Squall initiated it all, he HAD to ask her now. Watching Squall take another deep breath she backed off slightly, giving him room.

**Squall**: _(clearing his throat)_ "Rinoa... will you.. go out with me?"

Rinoa didn't give a verbal answer. She stood up, prompting Squall to follow suit. As he stood up, Rinoa climbed onto her chair then jumped into his arms. She slung her arms around his neck and kissed him as he held her cradled in his arms before breaking away and finally answering him

**Rinoa**: "Yes!"

Rinoa lowered herself from Squalls arms and stood in front of him. Once more she slipped her hands around his waist and cuddled into him. This night was perfect. She didn't want it to end. Lost in each others embrace, the new couple finished their drinks and continued to talk.

**FASTFORWARD - Ruined village, Centra, present day - 8th August 6A.C**

Squall woke up. It was cold. He rubbed his eyes. Realising he'd been asleep, he glanced out of his shelter - the ruined building. He could see dawn breaking out across the landscape. He wondered why his mind had directed him towards those particular memories - he remembered the morning of FH vividly, it was like it was a recent memory. He found it hard to believe that it was actually two years old. He also found it confusing why he dreamed about the night he got with Rinoa, that dream within the dream was the dream that he dreamt when sat there at the train station in FH. This couldn't have been a co-incidence. There had to be a reason explaining why Rinoa was in his mind. Going on what the soldier had told him, he'd been on the run for 2 years, he must not have seen anyone in that time... but why? He had so many unanswered questions. Taking a moment to try to get his thoughts in order, he shifted from the unconscious issues to his conscious ones. He was alone in the wilderness of Centra for some reason. He hadn't seen any of his friends for 2 years, he had no idea what had happened to him since the 16th of September two years ago. He needed answers and he needed them fast. Pulling himself up off the floor, he dusted himself down and started to plan out his next move.

* * *

A/N:

Well, that was fun to write in parts. Romance isn't exactly my strong point in reality or in fiction .


	7. Chapter 7 - The Messenger

At first it seemed like the logical thing to do - gather his supplies, take whatever the dead soldiers had left in terms of rations and supplies, check the behemoth for any artifacts and then proceed towards one of the coastal military encampments. It should have been business as normal. As the SeeD got to his feet and stretched it suddenly dawned on him. He couldn't remember anything for two years. Two entire years of his life were a black spot. He knew most of his early childhood was plagued with black spots due to the GF use, the price he happily paid for their power, but two years of his adult life? That was disturbing. He slumped back down against the wall and looked around. His eyes fixed first on the dead soldier who spent his last hours telling him about why he was a wanted man and what caused them to be chasing him. He knew the man wasn't lying but he left him with more questions than answers, namely who was "Angel". He'd never heard the name before, not in what he could remember anyway. It had to be a fairly recent thing, something from his black spot. His focus then shifted to his hands. Looking at them, he mused to himself.

_"There has always been blood on my hands. Part of my job being a mercenary. Sometimes it is my blood, sometimes it is my subordinates blood, most of the time it is my enemies blood... But for innocents blood to be on my hands..."_

Squall stopped himself in his tracks. He was alone, in Centra and on the run from most of the world's military. From the sounds of it, he spent the last 23 months doing good - it was only in the past month they had seemed to have found him. He realized he would have to try and get the events of the past off his mind for the time being if he was going to survive for now. He had to have a clear mind until he could get some answers otherwise he'd be caught, executed and never get his answers. As he tried to formulate a plan to himself he looked at the soldier once more and more questions came to the front of his mind.

_"What about the others? My friends? All of them? Are they alive? Are they dead? Are they hunting me?"_

Squall shook his head. He knew if any of his friends had been tasked with hunting him down, they would have found him, no matter how hard he didn't want to be found. He knew that Garden would expect the SeeDs to put aside all personal feelings and hunt him down so they could deal with the matter themselves. Zell, Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, Nida, Xu... the six of them should have easily accomplished this feat he thought. They were all incredible assets to garden and they knew Squall well enough to think like him to make tracking him easier... but no one had come for him... or had they?

_"Maybe they tried to find me, and..."_

Squall cut himself off right there, he didn't want to think about the possibility he could have killed six of his commrades without even knowing it, but it was a distinct possibility. He had no idea what had happened to him between the morning he sat at that train station outside FH 2 years ago, and then 3 weeks ago where he woke up in Centra, alone, with no supplies. He just asumed he was on a deep cover mission after FH but when he realised he couldn't remember his objective or anything about the mission things didn't add up.

_"Rin..."_

Squall thought about her. He had dreamed about her last night, something which often gave him comfort when he wasn't by her side. She completely changed his world when they met 6 years ago - forcing him to open up, forcing him to rely on others for a change and making him act on passion and impulse instead of acting on orders all the time. She helped him discover his human side and helped him realize he could express his feelings. She was also his girlfriend and he was also her knight as she was a powerful sorceress in her own right. They had a unique bond - they could communicate telepathically with each other, feel the presence of each other and when they battled together, they augmented each other. Squall tried reaching out to Rinoa but there was nothing. Usually he could feel a faint presence if he reached out and she wasn't listening, but instead he felt nothing. Not even a kind of mental barrier preventing him from reaching out like what she used to do to him when they had argued and she didn't want him to play any mind tricks on her.

_"What if she's dead? What if Esthar or Galbadia captured her? What if Garden turned her over as a sign of good faith so Esthar wouldn't retaliate?"_

Squall shook his head. He had to try to be positive about this. She had to be alive.

_"What if she called out to me... and I wasn't there to help her? What if she severed the link for my protection?"_

Squall bounced from one extreme to another, one moment he believed his girlfriend was dead because he wasn't there to fulfil his duty to her - protect her when she needed him too. On the other hand, if she was alive, she would have probably severed the link between them to protect him. She'd have known he was innocent in the events of 2 years ago but no one else would have. They would have probably tried to use her to track him somehow.

_"Maybe Esthar have her... And they sealed her? A trap to lure me out?"_

All possible scenarios rushed through his head. He tried to make sense of everything, but the more he tried, the worse they became. He was going to be crushed under the weight of his own mind. He tried to force himself back to reality, but instead of focusing on the present and what he knew, he broke down. Lying on the floor, holding himself, the SeeD started to cry. He was alone again. Unlike before, when there were people around him who tried to help when he didn't want it, this time he was truly isolated. No one to talk to, no one to reach out to, push away, comfort him. Nothing.

_"Where do I go?"_

Squall rolled onto his back. He wiped a tear from his eye and then reached into his pocket. He pulled out the dead sniper's dog tags and looked at them. He knew he had to get these to the military as he had promised the man, but at the same time he didn't want to get caught by them. He put them back in his pocket and looked at the ceiling.

_"What do I do next?"_

Squall knew he had to gather information, but where should he start? He knew he had to try and find a way to see if everyone was alive, but he also had to find out who Angel was. He knew finding Rinoa would top everything else, especially if she desperately needed him, but at the same time she could be a trap to lure him in. He needed focus, he needed a moment of clarity. He needed a sign.

"Hyne... give me something... ANYTHING... Just tell me what I have to do"

Squall closed his eyes. He tried to let his thoughts go away of their own accord but he couldn't. He could see himself in a dark room, like the realm where Diablos lived, nothing but darkness. All around him were walls, stretching as high as he could see, etched into them were his thoughts and words. Everything he ever said and had thought were on these walls. They kept growing, every time they moved up a brick, new current thoughts were on them. He had trapped himself in his own mental prison. The only thing keeping him in there were his thoughts and he knew the only way to get out would be to stop thinking and to just act. But he couldn't. He felt so alone, he felt so lost. He needed steering in the right direction. Dropping to his knees, in his mental hell, he felt the darkness surround him, ready to smother him. As he took a deep breath and waited for it to end, a familiar voice rang through his mind.

"Surgite, Invenite, Incendite tenebras mundi"

The cloud of darkness seemed to act like a wild animal being chased off with fire. It reared up at the sound of the voice and passed directly through the walls surrounding Squall. Squall looked up above him, there was one small light shining down, surrounding him. He strained his eyes to make out what it was as the words rang through his head again.

"Surgite, Invenite, Incendite tenebras mundi"

Squall had heard these words before. Not necessarily in that order. The familiarity of them, both the words themselves and the voice that said them. It sounded distant, but at the same time he could feel the empathy in it. For some reason the strange yet familiar voice made him feel safe in the confines of his own mental darkness. As the words echoes around the walls of his thoughts, it drove the darkness away. The Darkness reared up as if it were a wolf confronted with fire and fled the area. It snaked its way up the walls before slipping through the cracks. As it fled, light slowly illuminated the area where he was kneeling. He felt safe and secure in his own consciousness for once. As he pulled himself back up onto his feet, he saw something beginning to move down towards him. Keeping his eyes fixed on the thing slowly descending towards him, he broke the silence.

**Squall**: "Who are you?"

**Voice**: "I am who I am Squall, You of all people should know and understand that"

Squall shook his head. He didn't understand. What did it mean by 'I am who I am' ?

**Squall**: "Stop being so cryptic! I barely know who I am now"

The voice didn't answer him

**Squall**: "I've lost two years of my life somehow. What happened? Can you help me get them back?"

**Voice**: "That is what I am here to do"

Squall took a few small steps back as the object neared him. It actually turned out to be a person floating down on a large pair of golden wings. It landed in a crouched position with its back facing Squall's subconscious representation of himself. As it stood up, he could tell, just by its body shape that it was a female. It kept its back to him as her wings folded themselves in.

**Squall**: "How can you help me?"

**Voice**: "I am the messenger, I am here to show you the way"

The voice was noticeably louder and less echo like. Squall connected the dots and worked out that the winged woman, the 'messenger' was its source.

**Squall**: "How will you show me the way? You haven't even looked at me yet?"

**Messenger**: "I can not look at you child of fate, observe"

The messenger turned around. Squall was shocked - she looked exactly like Rinoa in every possible way bar one - her eyes. She had no eyes. Instead it was a mask, similar to that of masked ball fashion - it covered the upper face, it was sapphire blue and gold gem lined. Where the eyes should have been, there was a smoky quartz styled glaze.

**Messenger**: "I assume you are shocked by my appearance... Don't be. I have simply came to you in a form which you would be most comfortable with. I am sorry if this causes you any distress brave knight, but I can not stress the importance of what I am about to say"

Squall dropped to his knees. It was too much for him. Dreaming about Rinoa, thinking about her and wondering if she was dead or wondering if she thought he had abandoned her, now something in his mind was manifesting itself as Rinoa. He couldn't take it. If this was Hyne communicating with him, it had a sadistic sense of humor he thought. His subconscious form screamed at the messenger

**Squall**: "Forget what you have to say! I need answers"

Sensing his anguish, the messenger turned away. Squall went to call out to it when he noticed it change. When it turned round, it no longer wore the ornate mask, but instead it looked exactly like Rinoa. Every last detail was perfect.

**Messenger**: "Might this help?"

**Squall**: "Not really, but I guess you destiny fate and godly things just love to taunt us mortals eh?"

**Messenger**: "I am not toying with you, and your sense of sarcasm is noted. Unfortunately, who I bring this message from has no need for such trivial things and petulant moods"

Squall couldn't believe it - bitch-slapped in his own subconscious by some presence which waltzed in to save the day.

**Squall**: "Look, let me level with you here. I will gladly hear you out... but you gotta answer me one question"

The messenger smiled at him in the same way Rinoa would when she got her way

**Squall**: "Stop copying her mannerisms too, its fucking creepy!"

The messenger simply stood there, ignoring what Squall said

**Squall**: "Is everyone alive? By everyone I **_mean_**everyone - Rinoa, Zell, Quistis, Xu, Irvine, Selphie, Nida, Cid, Edea, Seifer, Fujin, Raijin, the Owls, Laguna, Kiros, Ward, Elle..."

Before Squall could continue the messenger silenced him

**Messenger**: "Relax child, they are all well and alive. Your concern is warranted but fear not, it is they who are in need of reassurance about you, not you needing reassurance about them."

Squall sighed, he suddenly burst forwards with another question

**Squall**: "Did Rinoa move on after I went?"

**Messenger**: "I do not understand what you mean. Your heart is still hers and her heart is still yours, it always will be, fate has determined it and Hyne himself has sealed this. Fear not"

Squall went silent. It took him some time to get to grips with, but he realised that effectively, he was destined to be with Rinoa, no matter what. Letting his emotional baggage finally subside, he spoke

**Squall**: "Thank you. I have more questions..."

**Messenger**: "I have little time. I must be quick."

Squall nodded

**Messenger**: "You search for your missing memories and for what you know as 'Angel'... 'Angel' will help you recover the lost time and bring everything into clarity"

**Squall**: "Where can I find Angel?"

The messenger held its hand out palm up. A gold light shone from it and swirled round until it created a clear image - it was the lighthouse orphanage.

**Messenger**: "You must head to the lighthouse, there you will find part of what you seek"

**Squall**: "Will I find Angel?"

**Messenger**: "Angel will find you"

Squall shook his head, the messenger was being deliberately cryptic. He wanted to grab her and scream at her to stop screwing with him, but he couldn't. All he could do was simply stand there and take as much of this in.

**Messenger**: "Go to the lighthouse, I will be there waiting. I will answer more of your questions there. But you must hurry. Time is not on our side"

Squall looked around. The walls around him were crumbling. At the same time the messenger spread its wings and took off. As it flew up high again it spoke once more:

**_"Lighthouse"_**

Squall woke up in a cold sweat. He couldn't have been asleep again, but the fact he seemed to have lost time as it appeared to be midday outside told him otherwise. He had been trapped in his own mind, locked in by his own thoughts and guilt and worries and someone or something managed to free him. Knowing only a sorceress or deity could have pulled off something like that, Squall felt a small glimmer of hope for the first time since he realised his situation. He chose to believe everything which the messenger had told him. It gave him something to hold on to. If it would help lead him to the bottom of this 'Angel' business and help him get back to his friends and get half the world's military off his back, he would happily try anything.

Squall took out his map. He traced a line from where the sniper marked them off towards the Odin Ruins, then down to the coast where he could get across to the lighthouse. It was roughly seven days journey if all went to plan. He would have to pick when to move and when to hide though, the military obviously knew the sniper team had failed to radio in so a clean up team would be sent to his last location. Taking the sniper's uniform, weapon, ammo and any remaining rations and ID cards, he exited the ruin where he sheltered and headed South west towards his goal - Odin's ruins. He raised the sniper rifle up to his shoulder and used the scope to quickly scout his surroundings. Everything appeared to be clear, but lack of cover would present a problem. The area of Centra round Odin's ruins was known for being barren. It had no plant life to speak of, just vines and weeds on the various ruined structures of destroyed villages and towns and buildings to break up the brown monotony of the border regions of the Serengetti plains and Yorn mountains. Odin's ruins stood near the area commonly known as "the Crater" - the impact of the Lunar cry 80-100 years before compression. It was the only piece of Centran structure on the continent still standing in one complete piece, which made it the perfect place to head first. Squall hoped that it was being used as a forward opperating base or supply depot - both would be perfect for him to drop off the dog tags, resupply and hijack a vehicle so he could get to the coast and onto the southern island of the continent.

As the SeeD walked, in the distance a lone Estharian helicopter had been scrambled. Its mission was to investigate the ruins where the sniper team last radioed in.

**Pilot**: "We should be there in approximately 35 minutes. Sweep the area, then destroy it, leave nothing standing"

The men in the back of the helicopter saluted. 

* * *

**A/N:**  
The latin phrasing is taken directly from the "Liberi Fatali" theme from FF8. It is in latin.  
"Surgite, Invenite, Incendite tenebras mundi" translates to "Arise, Discover, Alight the darkness of the world"

Where possible, I will try to provide any translations from Latin to English. I will for the purposes of this story use Latin as the language of the Centran people and what the messenger will primarily communicate in.


	8. Chapter 8 - Outside of the zone

Squall walked alone across the plains. Behind him, the mountains seemed to slowly shrink as they went out of his field of view. It was quiet, almost too quiet. Feeling slightly uneasy, the SeeD shouldered the sniper rifle and looked through the scope. Ahead of him, he saw a small black dot which must have been about thirty-five miles away. it was coming closer each second. Squall knew what it was exactly - it was the clean up helicopter. He was exposed out in the open. There were no ruins in his immediate vicinity he could sprint to and hide in, and the long grass was only as high as his calves. He could lie down, but his black attire would stand out in the brown grass. He thought about quickly bringing the Lionheart out of its sheath and cutting some grass up and getting under it, but the cover wouldn't be enough. Judging by its speed and trajectory, the SeeD would be visible to them in 5 minutes. He had 5 minutes to try and run for it, hoping to find a bush to hide under, or to stand and fight, possibly gaining a helicopter if he acted right, or bringing a whole company of special operative trained soldiers down on him if everything went wrong. Leaving himself with little choice, the SeeD checked that the Estharian sniper's rifle was loaded and ready. He pulled the Lionheart out of his sheath an stabbed it into the floor before he rested the barrel of the sniper rifle on the base of its handle. Kneeling down, adopting a crouched marksman stance, Squall trained the scope of the sniper rifle on the helicopter and weighed up his options. He was an average shot after training from Irvine Kinneas, the best sharpshooter Garden had ever produced, but there was no way he could realistically pull this one-off - it was flying at least two miles high at a speed of 75 miles per hour due to unsual wind patterns. Squall knew for any shot to be remotely successful he would have to factor in the Coriolis effect as well. All these factors were stacked against him, but he had to try. Luckily for him, the Estharian issue rifle had a distance gauge built into its scope. Once it clearly registered his target was the helicopter, it displayed a holographic number in the top right of his sight's display. It counted down in yards. Squall could hit a target at 400 yards on a good day in perfect conditions, but he didn't have that luxury. He knew he'd have to try and attack it before it hit the 1800 yard distance - otherwise they would see him clearly. Squall kept his focus on the distance counter cycling down as he lined up his shot. he took a deep breath and thought back to what his friend had taught him.

**Balamb Garden training centre. September 7th, 5 months after compression**

Squall stood by the blast doors near the entrance to the training centre. In his hand he carried his gunblade, the legendary Lionheart and across his back was a rifle. It was a twenty year old G-army sniper rifle. He felt awkward carrying it round. If he ever wanted to hit a target a distance away from him, he would simply use magic to attack it or just rush in, evade some of its attacks and hit home with a sword strike or several. He hated the idea he would have to use a gun instead of his gunblade, bit everyone insisted he should learn. After all, sometimes the commander had to stay back from the front lines and support instead of lead the charge. By him stood the sorceress. Rinoa was dressed differently today. Instead of her usual shorts and vest with duster coat styled cardigan, she opted for an old SeeD combat training suit. She still wore her trademark ankle boots and had her hair down, but to try and lighten the situation, she had painted two black lines under her eyes and splattered some green and light brown face paint on too. Squall shook his head as he looked at her. He just loved her carefree attitude and the way she always brought a smile to everyone in the garden. Granted, she was also a potential timebomb - she was a sorceress with untapped and unmastered power. But whenever she was with Squall, she felt perfectly in control. Standing with her boyfriend, the commander. She held his free hand tightly and pulled him close for a kiss. Although they had been dating for 3 months now, Squall was still shy of public displays of affection, and given their company for the day, he tried to refrain from any further displays despite Rinoa's protests. She tried to plant another kiss on him but they were interupted by someone.

**"Its ok Rinoa, you can stop pretending now. Irvine's here, come give me a nice welcome"**

Irvine winked and tipped his hat. He lazily carried his rifle across his shoulder. It was the same as the one Squall had. Watching Rinoa let go of Squall, he approached the two. He pulled out a piece of paper and gave it to Rinoa.

**Irvine**: "Rinoa, when we get to the designated spot, please do what this sheet says"

Rinoa mockingly saluted Irvine. Squall simply sighed. Both Rinoa and Irvine waited for the inevitable '...whatever' and as they built themselves up for it, Squall simply shrugged his shoulders and headed off towards the designated spot, depriving them of any fun they might have at his expense. As the reached the area, Irvine begun to go through the basics of the rifle with Squall - loading, unloading, aiming, adjusting the sights, shooting stances, shooting techniques. Squall was making notes and taking it all in, but Irvine didn't think he was taking this seriously.

**Irvine**: "Look, I know you don't like guns and all, but sometimes, its easier to hang back and hit your target from a safe distance instead of rushing in head first and running the risk of being impaled by a magical icicle."

Rinoa held Squall tightly as the commander shot Irvine a look which was intended to cause harm at the very least.

**Irvine**: "Oh shit, sorry! Too soon? My bad"

Irvine purposely brought up the botched assassination attempt in Galbadia. It was entirely his fault, but at the same time, it also proved him right - Irvine stayed out of harms way for the majority of the mission whlst Squall almost took a dirt nap. Irvine proceeded to explain other things, and helped Squall shoot several targets he had set up 10 yards away. It took a few goes, but he was picking it up relatively easily. Irvine was impressed. Squall's reputation for being good at almost everything combat related wasn't just hype talk and hero-worship. He had the potential to be a decent marksman if he actually embraced the training the headmaster ordered him to take instead of fighting against it.

**Irvine**: "Rinoa, will you start casting some blizzard spells? I wanna see how your boyfriend does shooting moving targets"

Rinoa nodded. She then mouthed "good luck" to Squall before she started casting her ice spells. As the large rocks of ice fell, Squall tried to shoot them. He was missing more than he was hitting, but he soon found a rhythm and managed to hit a better proportion of them the second time they tried it. After calling a break on the shooting, Irvine spoke to him again.

**Irvine**: "Just relax Squall - its simple. All you need to do is identify your target, adjust your aim, take a deep breath and pull the trigger. Always lead your target if it is moving, don't try to shoot at it, shoot towards whatever direction it is going, usually in front of it works well"

Irvine then without warning kicked his rifle up, catching it in mid-air, he cocked it, armed it and then shot down the empty space they had used. Squall at first thought that the gunman was just showing off, but when a Grat staggered out of the overgrowth before falling over Squall realised just how good Irvine actually was - he knew instinctively where his target was and had made his shot without even hesitating.

**Squall**: "How?"

Irvine smiled

**Irvine**: "I am a gun user Squall, I'm wired for this shit, the same way you are wired for up close and personal. This is second nature to me"

**Rinoa**: "Say, could you shoot a helicopter down with one bullet?"

**Squall**: "An odd thing to ask"

**Rinoa**: "Not really, say you're back at base, covering people when a helicopter of enemies was coming and you couldn't cast a spell. You'd need to learn how to shoot it"

Irvine butted in

**Irvine**: "Baby steps Rin! He can only just shoot an empty beer bottle 50 feet away from him, how do you think he'd shoot a helicopter a mile away from him which moves at high speed?"

**FLASHBACK END**

_"Like this..."_

Squall mumbled, answering his flashback's question. Taking a deep breath after lining up his target and steadying his rifle, he checked the distance - it was nearing 2000 yards, it would be in shooting range in seconds. Knowing he only had once chance to hit this thing, he took a deep breath, lined up his sights and pulled the trigger.

The bullet flew out of the barrel. It was so fast he couldn't see its trajectory in the scope, but he knew where it was headed - straight into the fuel tank of the helicopter. The commander had a number of targets to choose when he was making the shot, but he wasn't as good as Irvine. Irvine could have killed the pilot with relative ease, but that would give the crew a chance to escape. Shooting out the vehicles fuel tank would almost guarantee certain death for the occupants if the bullet hit home. slinging the rifle on the floor, the commander pulled his gunblade out of the ground. He wiped the dirt off it and brought himself to a combat stance. In what seemed like an eternity when in fact it was only a handful of seconds, the helicopter approaching him burst into flames and rained down fiery metal shards on the area. He just hit a one in a million shot. Reaching down, he picked up the rifle and ran forwards. He knew the moment he shot that helicopter, the impact would have been recorded and transmitted to the forward operating base or aircraft carrier which dispatched the team. They would have been aware they had lost another unit and using that information, they could track down their target.

_"I have to make it to the ruins before they make it to the crash site"_

Squall wasted no time as he headed towards the towering structure in the distance. Though he was low on food, he would have to hunt some of the local monsters - Buel and Blobra didn't taste nice, but nice food was not important, survival was. Knowing that the military wouldn't risk another air team, they would need to send in a ground unit which meant a vehicle. He also knew in the past, the world powers when they conducted exercises on the continent would use the Centra ruins as a supply depot from time to time. If they stuck to their usual mode of operation, Squall could manage to hijack the transport and get himself towards the coast at the cost of bringing even more attention to himself. He knew he couldn't disguise himself as a soldier either to try an hitch a ride back as it would be too risky. He had to make the journey on foot or conceal himself in an ammo crate or supply crate and hitch a ride back that way if he wanted to risk something.

_"Get to the ruins, set up camp, kill monsters, get food then hide - watch the troops, take action from there"_

The sun was starting to set over the continent. Squall stood at the threshold of the ruins with his sword in hand and a large buel's wing tucked in behind his sniper rifle. On his journey he had managed to encounter a buel which had strayed from the ruins and managed to get the drop on it. When he had the time he would strip the wing, carve out the edible portions and cook them for food. It tasted awful but at the same time it did provide some basic sustenance and energy which would help keep him going. Looking around, the ruins didn't seem to have been disturbed much but he knew that any good military operation would hide its supplies in plain sight. He slowly walked through the courtyard. His best vantage point would be one of the platforms high up on the north side which would let him hide the light from a fire behind the central component of the ruins - the throne room and it would also allow him easy access round the ruins to take up a better observation post. He knew the team would come from the south initially and then head north-east from the ruins towards the crash site and then the battle site. He knew he had to get himself set for the night before anyone arrived to scout the ruins and before the local monster population descended on him. After slowly dragging himself up the stairs, climbing from pillar to pillar and slowly working his way across various edges, he found the platform he was looking for. It was out-of-the-way enough to be a safe spot for him in terms of riding out the storm - it had a half destroyed building on it which still had a roof - perfect for concealing a fire. It had some broken pillars and walls - perfect cover in case of a fire fight. He was only exposed from the air but he could work around that - they wouldn't waste another helicopter on him, he knew that even though he seemed to be a high risk fugitive, the Estharians were cautious - they didn't waste their resources needlessly.

_"Get to the lighthouse, I will meet you there"_

Squall repeated the words to himself once more. They didn't reassure him as such, but they provided a small measure of comfort - he knew he would get some more answers by reaching the orphanage. Using a discarded metal shard from what he assumed to be a Tonberry's knife, he struck it with a piece of flint several times. Using magic would be easier, but it would also attract the attention of any nearby monsters. After some time had passed, the fire finally sprung to life with a faint wisp of smoke. Leaning against the wall opposite it, he looked across to the mountains. The darkness was creeping over them. The temperature was starting to drop. Night was coming, and so were the Estharian soldiers. In the stillness of the night, the faint hum of a lone truck could be heard. Squall sighed. He knew he would probably get an hours sleep at the very most before he would have to be on guard again. As he looked at the fire, trying to take his mind off the situation he started to close his eyes. Exhaustion was creeping in slowly and taking control of his body, but the adrenaline still surging through him was resisting its every move. As the lone warrior struggled to keep his eyes open, for a moment he thought he saw someone standing there on the same platform as him. Rubbing his eyes, he looked again but there wasn't anyone there.

_"Man, I need some sleep... This is getting to be too much for me"_

Squall let his head slump forwards as he rested his chin on the top of his chest. He held the handle of Lionheart in his right hand, ready to spring into action at a moments notice. This was going to be a long night he thought to himself. Letting his eyes finally close, Squall drifted off. As he did, faint footsteps made their way across the platform. They were noticeable, but not loud enough to stir squall from his sleep. The person they belonged to stood at the edge of the platform and looked out over the Centran landscape. It saw the approaching truck and then backed away from the edge. Looking at the now sleeping swordsman it smiled.

**?:** "Sleep child of fate, I shall watch for you tonight"

Squall smiled. Intentionally, no one could really say. For all appearances he was unconscious, but maybe, just maybe his subconscious was active enough to hear the voice and its reassuring tone. It was a tone which provided security, care and most of all familiarity. In his subconscious mind, Squall was screaming for his body to wake up and see who this person was but deep down, his subconscious also knew he needed to rest.

* * *

**A/N**: For those wishing for information on the coriolis effect on bullets visit here: wiki/External_ballistics


	9. Chapter 9 - Surgite Liberi Fatalis

The Messenger stood there silently as night crept across the Centran landscape. As the light of the sun gave way to the pale moon light softly penetrating the clouds, the local wildlife started to stir. A lone Tonberry patrolled the courtyard of the ruins. With its lantern clutched in one hand, it kept watch, waiting for the slightest sign of trouble. Its famed Chef's Knife was held tightly in its other hand. Though it was a small creature which seemed harmless, it was one not to be mocked or taken lightly. The knives of Tonberrys had claimed countless explorers of these ruins and if that wasn't enough to worry about, they also acted as a great karmic force. Their lanterns had a second function. Aside from providing them with light, it could sense how many people, animals or monsters the person its light was directed at had killed. It then used this number with some form of magic to damage to retaliate twenty-fold the pain inflicted to the one with the blood lust. It was a simple creature but as mentioned, not to be taken very lightly. The creature looked up towards the platform where Squall had rested. For a moment it considered trying to make its way up there to investigate, but the sound of a vehicle in the distance got its attention instead. It slowly walked across the courtyard towards the edge of the ruins.

"Stay safe little creature"

The unknown woman watched it carefully. She wished she could protect it, but she was charged with protecting something far more vulnerable and more important - the child of fate. She cast her eye over the sleeping mercenary. She could feel his subconscious crying out for answers. She desperately wanted to help him, to ease his mental anguish, but she could not defy her orders. For a moment she contemplated joining him by the fire, wrapping her arms and wings around his sleeping body to make him feel some warmth and human contact. He deserved some comfort at least, but unfortunately, protecting him in his sleep was the only thing she could provide him with. Turning her attention once more to the land surrounding the ruins, she looked to where the Tonberry stood. It had spotted the vehicle and was keen on investigating, but for some reason refused to move any further than the edge of the ruined courtyard. It turned round, looking behind it - three more Tonberry had made their way out of their hiding places. If anyone was watching their behavior, studying them, it would seem like they sensed the incoming danger presented by the soldiers and had come out to defend their home. Many people knew to avoid direct confrontation with a Tonberry unless absolutely necessary, especially those in the military. They all stood there, knives ready, ready to defend their home. The car pulled up - Its lights shone across the courtyard causing the four Tonberry to flinch slightly. They shuffled backwards, maintaining a defensive formation, carefully watching the soldiers exiting the vehicle. They knew these intruders could be a threat to them, but they refused to attack first - like humans, the Tonberry knew when to pick their fights, and this was an instance where they should refrain from doing so.

**Commander**: "We're 35 minutes away from the crash site. Make a quick sweep of the ruins before proceeding forwards, we have to locate the crash site and then the last point of contact with the advanced unit"

The four soldiers who exited the vehicle saluted. All of them carried the standard issue pick-axe shotgun, but they also carried sabres too. The messenger noted this with some concern. It seems that during the skirmishes over the past few days, the forces hunting them had learned from their mistakes and opted to use both long and short-range combat tactics. She was impressed at the resourcefulness of humans, but also at their shortsightedness. They must have known that even if the four troops attacked with swords, they wouldn't stand a chance against the gunblade user. He would cut them down before they had a chance to even strike. The commander though, he worried her deeply. She tried to probe his mind - see what kind of man he was, what his strengths and weaknesses were, and all she got was emptiness. His mind was a dark void with nothing there but the willingness to do anything possible to get the task at hand completed. She looked at him, he carried a service pistol and a sword, but this was no ordinary sword - it was a gunblade. This made her feel uneasy. She looked to the stars and spoke softly

**Messenger**: "They arrived as planned. the four men should be easy to remove, but the commander, he is a different matter. He has a gunblade. It appears to be a basic one, but still, he should not be under-estimated. I have probed his mind, he is nothing but darkness and willingness to get his mission done. Either our foe is learning to combat us, or maybe there is another force at work here..."

The woman looked over her shoulder, down at the courtyard. The Tonberries stood their ground. Like sentries, they watched their territory, carefully waiting for the soldiers to make their move.

**Soldier 1**: "Monsters! Prepare to engage!"

As the soldier reached for his sabre, a hand shot out, blocking his arm and stopping him from drawing it.

**Soldier 2**: "Do not attack the Tonberry! It's not worth it and you will get us all killed. The ruins are filled with them and they are very territorial and they can read people."

**Soldier 1**: "That's just a myth!"

**Soldier 3**: "If you even think about touching one of them, I WILL be leaving your ass on the battlefield to deal with your hotheaded action consequences"

**Soldier 4**: "Sir, I think I have something"

The fourth soldier pointed up towards the top of the ruins - he managed to catch sight of Squall's mysterious guardian watching them. Before the other troops could even react, the messenger jumped down. He golden wings caught the moonlight with a pale blue glow and before the four men could even react, she struck with devastating speed and grace.  
Since she had assumed the form of the sorceress Rinoa for the purposes of calming Squall, she used her attack patterns. During the descent down to the courtyard level, she fired her blaster edge - the wrist mounted shooting star. The eight-winged weapon gracefully flew through the air, cutting at the four men with relative ease, disarming them in the process with one fell swoop. Before they could even reach for their long-range weapons, the messenger had already landed and attacked again. Holding both her hands out, she barely showed any signs of stressing or strain as she calmly fired off four firaga spells in quick succession, one for every soldier in the courtyard. They were out of their depth. They stood no chance as she switched from projectile based combat to magical based combat with ease.

**Commander**: "Report! What is going on?"

The commander climbed on top of the van and looked into the courtyard with horror.

**Commander**: "Shit shit shit! ITS HER, ITS ANGEL"

The commander couldn't keep his air of authority anymore, he had been reduced to a nervous wreck upon seeing what had been cast his way that night at the ruins. He had a bad feeling about going there already, especially after two teams went missing in one day, but he had to lead the recovery himself, it was the only way to try and make sense and to see what he was actually up against. He didn't buy into any of that shit which his superiors had told him, he had to see first hand what Squall Leonhart was and what he was up against... And it was something he found to be even worse than what had already been made out. He tried to focus his thoughts, he knew that Leonhart was also the knight of a very powerful sorceress at one time, he knew he was unmatched in sword fighting skills, he knew that there was something more to what had gone on these past two years, but when she showed up.

**Messenger**: "Calm yourself Commander. I mean you no harm. I only bring harm to those who intend to harm others"

The commander froze on the spot - she was talking to him and he did not like it at all. He tried to control his fear but he couldn't. His mind was racing but nothing was making sense.

**Messenger**: "Please, calm yourself. I am only here to protect the ruins. These creatures (motions to the Tonberry) need their home and they wish not to be disturbed."

The Commander regained his composure. He heard what she said and scoffed. He found it hard to believe that Angel would be here to protect a tribe of Tonberry. The messenger noticed his sudden change in behavior, it was almost like he was possessed. The darkness in his mind was not of normal human nature, it had to have been magical.

**Commander**: "The great Angel, here to protect some knife wielding lizards? Pah! I don't buy it at all!"

The messenger looked at him, she probed his mind - the darkness was still there, but there was something else too. It was a second presence, more powerful than the human which stood in front of him. It seemed to have taken over his mind. She probed further and discovered it - there was something junctioned to him which shouldn't have been. No one should have that in there she felt.

**Commander**: "I have the mighty Angel in front of me! This is going to be fun"

The commander cracked his knuckles before drawing his gunblade. Its black edge shimmered in the moonlight as he jumped down into the courtyard. Adopting his fighting stance, he brought the blade up, tensed his finger on its trigger and stared right through her. His eyes glowed an evil shade of red.

**Messenger**: "You're not human are you?"

The commander smirked

**Commander**: "You're not Angel either are you?"

The messenger didn't answer him, but her body language gave far more away than any verbal communication could. She knew she shouldn't have got involved in this fight, it was breaking her orders, but it was something she had to do. The darkness inside him worried her deeply. This was not natural, nor was it a junctioning of a GF or the wearing of a cursed amulet. It was troubling and something she had to relay back to her superiors provided she made it out of there alive. Despite her cool and collected appearance, she was deeply troubled inside, more so than she was whilst watching over the child of fate above her on the platform. Knowing she was left with no choice but fighting, the messenger spoke.

**Messenger**: "You think this is the face of Angel? How little you must know. The devil in your mind has clouded your judgement. I pray you leave now and cast out that darkness in your mind"

Adopting a defensive stance, the messenger focused herself. She let her magical energy filter through her body and cast a series of defensive buffs on herself without him realizing - regen, shell, protect, haste, aura.

**Commander**: "Never going to happen"

The commander charged forwards. He ducked under her first strike, dodging the angel wing as it spiraled towards him. Ducking under it, he then jumped onto a broken wall, and used it as a spring board, launching himself over the returning weapon, dodging it again. As he flipped over, he flicked his gunblade out and sliced out at her with a spiraling cut. She effortlessly parried it with her bare hands. He thrust the sword again at her, trying to impale her with it, but again, she simply knocked it away with his bare hands. Slice after slice, cut after cut, each and every one was effortlessly knocked away. The commander fell to his knees, he was desperate, he couldn't understand how someone could simply fight him bare handed like that and not even work up a sweat. The messenger stood across the yard from him. She didn't raise her weapon or even strike him down, she simply pleaded with him again.

**Messenger**: "Commander, please stop. This is futile. You can not beat me"

The commander smirked. He knew he couldn't. But the thing in his head could. He knew if he called it, that was it, there was no going back. He would be totally consumed by the chaos in his head. He stood up and pointed his sword at the sky. Smiling like a man with nothing left to lose. He shouted at the top of his voice.

**Commander**: "Come... It is time"

The commander started to glow. His body was enveloped in a red light which grew brighter and brighter. The messenger couldn't see at first but then she realized what was going on - The evil junctioned in his mind, the darkness - he had made a pact with someone or something. The messenger was unsettled by this. The commander started to laugh at first as he grew in size, but then the laughter, the boasts of power were replaced with screams of pain - he was being torn apart from the inside by whatever resided inside him. His skin was torn apart, muscles discarded and bones shattered as the red light shone even brighter. The Tonberry watching all retreated, it was like the monsters could sense something big coming. Without warning, the red light exploded. A wave of pressure and magical energy flew through the ruins. The messenger brought her wings up around the front of her body to shield her from the full impact. It was strong enough to drop her to her knees. After dusting herself down, she pushed herself up to her feet and saw what was in front of her - It was an abomination.

It was as tall as an Iron Giant, but there was something different about it - it was red and three times the size. The Red Giant proudly stood in the courtyard of the Centra ruins. Surveying the area, it spoke with a booming voice.

**Red Giant**: "Freedom at last"

In its hand it held a giant cleaver like sword. It held it with one hand effortlessly. The blade itself must have weighed as much as an ordinary iron giant. It took several small steps, each one making the ground shake as it walked. It seemed to ignore the girl initially, but then its attention suddenly shifted when it spotted her.

**Red Giant**: "YOU!"

The giant swung its sword at her. She jumped backwards, narrowly missing the blade as it cut through the air.

**Red Giant**: "You thought you defeated me in Ultimecia's castle didn't you? Well now I am back, and I am free"

The Giant swung at her again, this time with a vertical strike. His sword smashed down into the ground as the messenger rolled to the right of it, avoiding being cut once again, but the shock wave generated from the impact smashed into her, sending her backwards across the battlefield like a rag doll.

**Red Giant**: "I am stronger here than I was in the castle, now you will feel my true strength"

The messenger tried to pull herself up to her feet, but she couldn't. She looked at her legs and saw why - her foot was trapped. In the impact of her hitting a pillar back first, it crumbled under the force of the impact and collapsed on her leg. In a desperate attempt to give herself more time to free herself, she released a firaga spell and fired it directly at the giant's chest. It exploded across his body but it didn't even make him flinch.

**Red Giant**: "USELESS!"

She tried again, with more firaga spells, firing them off in quick succession. Each one hit the giant directly but it didn't even leave a scratch on him. It was as if he was purposely created to withstand all attacks directed at him, physical and magical.

**Red Giant**: "I told you, USELESS!"

The messenger shook her head. She struggled to free herself from the rubble. She knew it was getting too close for comfort with the beast. Although she had assumed the form of the sorceress, she had never actually inherited her knowledge or her emotions so she didn't realize the one spell she could use to save herself was in her arsenal all along - Demi. Clutching at straws, she tried to reach out to Squall but she couldn't. The monster closed in on her. She actually displayed fear, something she had done in the past, but never on the field of battle nor in front of anyone.

**Red Giant**: "TIME TO DIE WITCH"

He brought his sword up, held it in both hands and looked at her. His cold eyes pierced right through her. It chilled her right down to her bones. Knowing this was her final shot at survival she did something she would have preferred not to. She closed her eyes and drew all her focus to her mind. The physical strain this effort was taking on her was noticeable. She was trembling as she raised her hand up in front of her. She then reached for the pendant hanging around her neck. It glowed with a bright golden aura the moment she touched it. Hoping it would work in time, she opened her eyes.

**Messenger**: "Surgite Liberi Fatalis! Interficio malum ante tu!"

An explosion of energy surged through the ruins. The giant staggered backwards momentarily as the energy manifested itself as a golden beam for a few seconds. It shot right up into the heavens, piercing the clouds before it dissipated. The messenger then hung her head down, exhausted from the effort she had exerted. As she breathed heavily, struggling to regain her composure, the Giant resumed his advance. Raising his sword once again, he stared at her, ready to deliver the fatal blow.

* * *

A/N: Latin - English: Arise child of fate! Destroy evil before you!


	10. Chapter 10 - Ghost in the ruins

Squall was asleep, or at least his body was. Slumped in the corner by the fire, it was more comfort than he'd had for a long time one would assume given the fact he was missing two years of his life. His physical self was at rest, but his subconscious was in turmoil. He was pacing around in his own mind as he listened to the voice which promised to watch over him as he rested. He knew who it belonged to, but he still couldn't rest. The messenger had said they would meet him at the lighthouse initially, but now they were waiting with him at the ruins. He was grateful for someone keeping watch for him so he could rest up but the fact that the game had changed unsettled him. Pacing round inside his subconscious, Squall banged his head against the walls in his mind. He just couldn't understand why everything was starting to unravel like this.

"I lose two years, I wake up bloody and being chased by the military of the country which I thought my dad still ran and now someone or something is pretending to be my girlfriend, giving me cryptic and vague orders and promising answers... what could possibly go wrong now?"

His subconscious spoke too soon it seemed. His mind was filled with a golden light which blanked everything else out. A stern but very familiar voice rang through his head.

**_"Surgite Liberi Fatalis! Interficio malum ante tu!"_**

Without any hesitation or warning, Squall woke up. His eyes opened, filled with energy and steely determination. He clenched his right hand around his gunblade and rushed to his feet. He quickly exited his makeshift shelter and without any hesitation or fear, leapt off the platform down to the courtyard below. He landed on his feet, surprisingly without any damage given the 30 foot drop, but the adrenaline surging through his veins would have hidden the pain he may have suffered from the fall anyway. The urgency in the voice which brought him from his slumber reminded him so much of when Rinoa was in trouble. Even though he knew it was not her needing his help, he had to go anyway. As a knight it was his duty to protect those who needed help. As he rushed forwards, he saw the Red Giant ready to strike. Its attention was soley focused on the messenger. This gave him the perfect chance to sneak up on it. Rushing forwards, he dropped down in a baseball slide motion, sliding under the creature. Pushing himself up quickly, he spun his gunblade round and gripped the handle firmly in his right hand. He placed his left hand, palm first on the side of the blade and pushed up with all his strength and energy, intercepting the giant blade with an earth-shaking impact. The sound of metal ringing on adamantine echoed through the desolate ruins as the SeeD used every ounce of his strength to hold the massive blade at bay. As his legs strained under the stress of holding the attack off, Squall glanced over his shoulder at the messenger. She was badly hurt but still alive, just drained. He knew this was a 1 on 1 fight now, and he knew how to stop this beast. Digging in deep, he felt a surge of power rise through his body.

**Red Giant**: "YOU! THE SeeD!"

The Red Giant was shocked. His reaction allowed Squall to deflect the path of the blade away from both himself and the messenger. The giant cleaver like sword smashed into the courtyard floor as Squall shuffled backwards, keeping both hands firmly on the lionheart in his hands.

**Squall**: "We meet again Giant"

Red Giant pulled his sword out of the ground. As he did Squall quickly advanced. He knew physical attacks were useless, but if he hit the beast with enough momentum, he could stagger it backwards, giving him enough time to free the messenger before he could finish the monster off. The giant swung its sword in a horizontal motion. Trying to cut the SeeD in half and bring down some more of the ruins around him. Squall bent his knees before springing up, onto the side of the giant's blade. He steadied himself before launching his offensive volley. He let a thundaga spell off in the beast's eyes, dealing minimal damage but rendering him temporarily blind long enough for a follow-up strike. Squall brought his sword up and thrusted it in the small gap between the giants armour near its arm joint. The sound of metal grinding against refined adamantine was unpleasant, it created a horrid screeching noise, but it was enough. The giant staggered backwards as Squall removed his sword. Spinning it round once more, he back flipped off the beast, cutting him vertically up his chest plate before landing on his hands and knees. Looking up, his eyes narrowed as he focused himself for the next attack. Bringing forth a black mass of energy at his fingertips, Squall released the demi spell. It smashed into the giant's stomach, incapacitating him.

**Red Giant**: "DEMI... TOO MUCH WEIGHT"

Squall ignored the monster and back tracked to the messenger. He reached down towards the rubble and begun shifting it aside as quick as he could. He needed to free her leg and get her to safety before he could freely fight the beast. The Red Giant was destructive, it would destroy the entire ruins just to kill them both. Squall pulled the messenger free from the rubble. He looped her arms around his neck and he lifted her up. Moving as quick as he could with her in his hands, he lay her down near the edge of the ruins. Looking down at her barely concious form he smiled.

**Squall**: "You looked out for me, now it is my turn to protect you..."

Squall cast his eye back towards the giant. It had managed to only just recover from the effects of the demi spell. He knew he would need to near enough exhaust his arsenal of gravity based magic to bring the beast down. Deciding to sparingly use the spell, he instead opted to try a different approach. Remembering he had the sniper rifle with the armour-piercing ammo, he reached into his pocket. Inside were two AP shells from the rifle. He opened the ammo compartment of his gunblade and inserted them in.

_"Two shots at this, that's all I got... Best make them count"_

Squall took a deep breath and focused his attention on the giant who now had armed himself once more. He charged forwards, racing to meet the SeeD head on. Squall stood his ground. He knew that the head on charge in this circumstance wasn't the best of moves to make, but he had to time this to perfection. He figured he could end this with 5 attacks, but that meant he had to endure the wall of pure power he was about to face. The Giant jumped in the air, as it did, he pulled his left arm back, balling his hand into a fist. Waiting for the right moment, Squall watched his movement, as he reached the peak of his jump, the SeeD fired off a Demi spell. Catching the monster in mid-air, it brought it down to the ground with a sickening metal thud. The floor cracked as dust clouds rose from the debris and the impact. Screaming out in pain, the Giant tried to fight the effects of the spell, but it was useless. His weight was too much for him to handle when the gravitational pull of the earth was amplified tenfold. As the beast tried to fight against it, Squall charged forwards. He jumped in the air with the lionheart above his head in both hands. He brought it down vertically across the beast's right forearm. The collision rang through the ruins as the force of the impact hurled Squall backwards. It also cut through the giant's forearm armour though, creating a deep gash in the red metal. Black liquid oozed out of it, it was clear enough - the beast was starting to weaken under its own weight.

**Squall**: "You're even weaker than when you were in service to Ultimecia"

**Red Giant**: "What do you mean... were? I am always in service to Ultimecia, even in death, she is my master and I WILL AVENGE HER"

The giant pulled itself back to its feet. Letting out a defiant roar, he moved in with a sword swing. It was slower than the rest of them, due to the damage to his right arm. Squall read the move easily, shifting backwards, he then jumped forwards, angling his sword so it was tip down before trying to bury it in the wound. The blade sank into the gash he had created, prompting more black liquid to flow, this time more freely. The Giant tried to swipe at Squall with its left hand, but the SeeD pulled his sword out and quickly jumped backwards, firing off another demi spell at the beast.

**Squall**: "Why are you here Giant? Answer me. I have matched you in strength and bested you"

**Red Giant**: "...ANGEL"

The reply stunned Squall - it seemed everything came back to Angel.

**Squall**: "Why? Why do you want Angel?"

The Red Giant didn't answer. Instead it reached once again for its sword.

**Squall**: "Do you seek death giant? Answer me and I will grant you it"

The giant ignored him. It grabbed the handle of its giant sword and made another move for him. Squall wasted no time with the beast. He fired another demi spell off, bringing the beast down onto its chest, trapping it on the floor. Before it could even act, Squall rushed in. He brought his sword forwards and thrust it into the opening of the giant's helmet. The Adamantine cut through the mass behind the mask and stopped. The Giant let out another scream, but it was for nothing. Squall simply pulled the trigger on the gunblade, sending the armour-piercing round out of the chamber and directly into the giant's head. The round cut through the beats easily enough before exploding. Squall was flung backwards by the explosion. He hit the floor hard and rolled several times, being struck with shrapnel from the explosion. Finally he stopped. Pulling himself up to his feet, his leather jacket was ruined - torn apart and covered in blood. He would have many more scars after this battle, but it didn't matter. He had slain the Red Giant, saved the messenger and made a discovery all in a single battle - Angel had to be found and protected at all costs.

Squall fell backwards. He leaned against the staircase to the upper ruins and tried to regain his composure. Most of the wounds on him were superficial, nothing a cure or cura could fix, but his energy was dangerously low and his mental strength wasn't holding up to that much either. He hung lionheart on his belt and slowly made his way back across the ruins. He fell to his knees just in front of the messenger. She was barely conscious and her breathing was shallow. He felt for a pulse, it was faint, but it was there. He knew he couldn't exert himself much more, but he had to save her. He cast a cura spell on her, covering her in a pale blueish green light and hoping it would work. The spell had some effect. It strengthened her basic vitals but that was about it. Feeling the stronger pulse and hearing her breathing a bit better, Squall rolled onto his back. Lying on the floor next to her, he tried to regain some composure, focusing on his breathing first, trying to get it back to an even, natural rhythm. As he slowed his breathing down he heard her voice again, this time it was out loud in person, not in his head.

**Messenger**: "Thank... You... Squall"

**Squall**: "...whatever"

Squall tried to put on his usual uncaring facade, but she could see right through it, the same way Rinoa would when he did that. He smiled, hoping that she didn't see him, but she did.

**Messenger**: "I know you are... relieved. I am sorry I put us both... In harm's way"

Squall tried to sit up, but he couldn't. The adrenaline surging through his body finally subsided and all that was left was pain, everywhere. His muscles were exhausted, the slightest movement caused him to wince in pain. The shards of metal in his body from the explosion of the giant's head seemed to dig deeper and deeper, tearing away at his flesh. Biting down on his bottom lip, he forced himself to sit up. It took him several minutes to, but he managed it. Leaning on his arms, he looked over at the messenger. She was bloody and bruised. Her lip was slowly trickling blood whilst her pale skin was covered in muck and purple and black bruises. She had taken a beating trying to protect him and he was thankful for it.

**Squall**: "Why did you risk your life for me?"

**Messenger**: "I felt that I had to. I was ordered to watch, but that was it. I could not idly stand by and watch what was happening, you may have been discovered and all this would be for nothing..."

**Squall**: "All what?"

The messenger sighed, she wanted to tell him the full story, everything what was going on, what he was missing, what was to come and why it revolved around Angel but she couldn't. She was bound by her promise and her duty - she needed to get to the lighthouse with him where everything would be revealed.

**Squall**: "I just saved your life, and you can't even tell me what is going on?"

The messenger sighed again. She bit her bottom lip. The guilt was unbearable.

**Messenger**: "I wish I could but I can't. All I can do is relay to you what I am allowed to. At the lighthouse i can tell you more, but only then"

Squall punched the floor in frustration. Probably not a wise move considering it was stone. He swore as a small shard of metal dug into his hands from the impact.

**Messenger**: "I know it frustrates you, but I can only follow my orders, you too know that frustration, don't you Squall"

**Squall**: "Stop it. You know that already... You've been in my head"

Squall turned away from her. He wanted to be mad, but he couldn't. Even though she wasn't Rinoa, her looks and voice were the same. Every time she spoke, it sounded just like her - appealing to his human side, caring about him. It made him feel secure, but it was only an implied sense of security. He knew when he looked at her, it wasn't really Rinoa and the happiness just faded away.

**Messenger**: "You worry about her don't you?"

**Squall**: "You wouldn't understand..."

**Messenger**: "I would like to say you are wrong, but it is unimportant to argue on such trivial things. I assure you she is safe and she is fine, but that is all I can give sadly."

Squall shook his head. He wanted to scream and shout but he knew it wouldn't do any good. He knew she could give him answers, but only if he listened to her, played by her rules.

**Squall**: "Ok, I get that you can't tell me anything... can you at least tell me your name? It would make you seem more like a person to me..."

**Messenger**: "If you wish... My name is Tabella"

**Squall**: "Tabella... Thats... Centran right?"

Tabella nodded

**Squall**: "Are you from my time?"

**Tabella**: "I am and I am not. My body is twenty-three years old, but my soul is at least 100 years old. I was alive during the Lunar Cry which destroyed my people."

Squall wanted to be shocked, but nothing seemed to make sense anymore. He had been through time compression, where all that has been, is and will be existed in one single plane of existence all at the same time. Was it possible that Ultimecia brought about a revival of the Centran people, or at least some of them?

**Tabella**: "I can sense you are trying to work this out. Put your mind at ease child - we will talk more when we reach the lighthouse. I promise you that"

Squall sighed. It all kept coming back to that damned lighthouse. Everything about that place was tied to him - he discovered he was an orphan there, he discovered that Edea had transferred the majority of her power to Rinoa there, it was the starting point for his journey in time compression there... Hopefully this time it would be better news there, like what was going on, who was angel and where everyone else was.

**Squall**: "Tabella, if your soul is over 100 years old, where has it been for the past 6 years? I mean, time was compressed 6 years ago which explains how your soul may have got across the time and ended up in ours.."

**Tabella**: "My soul left my body during the lunar cry, like most others. We all died, those of us who lived on this continent, lived near these ruins. Our spirits were strongly tied to here and we stayed, to protect our home, our land, our secrets, waiting for the time when we would be needed again"

Squall scratched his head

**Squall**: "Does that mean... Angel is a Centran too?"

**Tabella**: "I can answer this question - yes and no. She has Centran lineage, but that is all I can say, I do not know much about her, only what she lets me know. She is that way with everyone. She wants to meet you Squall"

Squall wanted to say something, he wanted to think something but he couldn't. Tabella could read his mind.

**Tabella**: "Please Squall, say what you need to, I know you are troubled"

Squall clenched his fist. He was grateful for her help, but the mind tricks unsettled him.

**Squall**: "Ok... You're hurt, you need to recover your strength. Stay with me and rest, I will get us both to the lighthouse"

**Tabella**: "In return?"

Squall looked at her, his eyes went cold

**Squall**: "Don't pry in my mind"

* * *

A/N: Tabella, the messenger girl who looks like Rinoa's name is derived from the latin word Tabellarius. It means "The Messenger".


	11. Chapter 11 - We can't do this alone

Tabella and Squall sat on opposite sides of the fire. The only sound around them was the crackling of the burning wood and the footsteps of a Tonberry investigating the area.

**Tareblla**: "The Tonberries are thankful for our actions tonight"

Squall didn't respond

Tarbella looked over at the creature. It stood there on the stairs, looking at them, its yellow eyes glowed in the light of the flames. Though it didn't seem to have a visible mouth, Tarbella seemed pretty certain it was happy and smiling in its own way at them. She playfully waved at the creature as it made its way towards them slowly. Squall glanced at the monster. With the blood on his hands, this beast would be a death sentence if it were to attack him. Tarbella kept one eye on the monster, but she cast her other towards Squall. Looking at him, she saw how uncomfortable he was with the creature near him. He was trying his best not to feel threatened but she realised just how dangerous this situation was for him. She could not help herself though, as a girl she always played with the creatures, she always had time for them. She was just like Rinoa - carefree, in love with nature. The Tonberry got closer before it spotted Squall. At first it seemed like it was ready for combat. It raised its knife and focused on the mercenary, but then remembering the events before - how the man with the gunblade came down from the skies and defeated the red giant, saving the girl and her home, he lost interest and turned around.

**Tarbella**: "I think he said thank you"

**Squall**: ...Whatever

Tarbella sighed. She knew her presence was making him uncomfortable, especially in the form she had chosen, but she knew it was the only way to get his attention and focus him on what Angel wanted of him. She had to get him to the lighthouse, that mission would begin at dawn, but until then they both needed to rest.

**Tarbella**: "I'm sorry I have become a burden on you Squall..."

Squall cut her off by simply raising his hand. At first tried to protest but he kept his hand up. She closed her eyes and thought to herself, wondering why he had cut her off, but then she felt it - there was a presence in the area, one which she was unsure of herself. Both of them were in no real state to fight, but they knew if a fight was coming, they had been ready. Squall picked himself up from his spot by the fire and picked up the rifle. Its scope had thermal imaging and night vision filtering, so it was easier for him to look through that. He scanned the area with the gun, checking round him in a 360 degree motion, looking for anything and everything. Something wasn't right here, they could both feel it. Seeing no visible threat in the immediate vicinity, he looked at Tarbella. She had one hand firmly pressed against a pendant she wore whilst her other hand was held out, in front of her, fingers stretched out. Her eyes were closed and she had a faint blue aura round her. She was probing for something, but what? Squall felt the magical pulse pass over him, it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up for a moment.

**Squall**: "Anything?"

Tarbella opened her eyes and released the pendant from her grasp. Lowering her hands, she looked up at Squall and shook her head.

**Tarbella**: "I felt what you did, it was as if someone was there, but then nothing. I couldn't feel anything human, monster or magical for a mile round us... I guess we were just being paranoid?"

Squall shrugged his shoulders, He sat back down, leaning against a half crumbled pillar, he looked back at the fire. Tarbella looked round again before sitting down, this time next to Squall. She leaned her head against his arm and closed her eyes. At first she thought the man would push her away but to her surprise he let her stay there. Not wanting to say anything, she simply smiled and tried to sleep.  
Squall looked down at her, resting on him. It was a nice feeling, to have human contact after so long, but at the same time it was strange to him. He wished it actually was Rinoa by his side, not someone who just looked like her. He tried to remind himself it wasn't her, but it was getting harder. Maybe the lack of sleep was getting to him. He tried to find Rinoa in every little thing she did, but it was pointless. She even admitted she had no knowledge or memories of Rinoa, just her physical form only. He brushed her hair from out of her face and looked at her. She was sleeping soundly.

_"It's alright for some"_

Squall said to himself. He carefully got up and gently laid her down on the floor. Heading towards the soldier's vehicle, he climbed in and searched through it. He managed to find two emergency blankets. He threw them out of the vehicle and looked around for something else to offer a small comfort as such. Spotting a spare uniform in the back of it, he pulled it out and rolled it up. Taking the clothing and blankets from the vehicle, he headed back to the sleeping Tarbella. He lifted her head gently and slid the rolled up uniform in underneath her head before letting it rest on the small amount of padding. He then covered her up with one of the blankets. She fidgeted under the blanket before resting once more. Squall sat back down next to her, leaning against the pillar once more. He wrapped the blanket around him, keeping both weapons close at hand incase he needed to act. Looking into the fire once more, he allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts:

**BALAMB GARDEN, NOVEMBER 18TH, 7 MONTHS AFTER COMPRESSION**

_"Sqaull! Get up already!"_

Rinoa stood at the SeeD Commander's door. Since she had knocked several times and got no answer, she started kicking at it and shouting. Luckily for her, most of the high-ranking SeeD who had quarters round Squalls were his friends, so they were used to this routine on his days off. It was 11am and the sorceress was making a scene. Quistis slid her door open and looked out - she shook her head.

**Quistis**: "Rinoa, he's probably not in, it is 11am, we are hard-wired to be awake at 6am most days remember. You tried the training center?"

Rinoa stopped. She looked at Quistis and went a deep shade of red. Full of embarrassment, she guiltily walked over to the blonde.

**Rinoa**: "Sorry Quistis... I uhh, I looked there earlier, I couldn't see him at all, or hear him. Usually when he's in there he makes one hell of a noise"

**Quistis**: "Don't we know it"

Exiting her dorm, Quistis walked to the room across the hall from hers and tapped on the door.

**Quistis**: "Commander, your girlfriend is here. If you don't answer the door, I am afraid that this door will be blown open just to stop the noise"

Rinoa clapped her hands together for a moment then shot Quistis a look of contempt. She wasn't making noise, she was just trying to get Squall out of his room long enough to execute her grand plan. Quistis knocked on the door again.

**Quistis**: "Squall, please open the door. If you don't I'll tell Irvine you want extra rifle lessons"

From behind the door there was a distinct mumbling and banging around. The door eventually opened and both women peered in - Squall had fallen back onto the bed, he looked exhausted.

**Rinoa**: "What happened? You run into a T-rexaur and come off worse for once?"

Squall waved his hand as he rolled over onto his side and curled up. He was wearing a bloodied white t-shirt and a pair of shorts. His legs were cut and bruised.

**Quistis**: "Wow, it really did a number on you this time, what happened?"

Both women sat down at the edge of his bed. They both instinctively reached out to touch him in order to try to comfort him but they quickly stopped and looked at each other. It was an awkward stand-off, both girls wanted to comfort him, but neither wanted to back down. Rinoa was Squalls girlfriend, she had priority on comforting Squall, but Quistis was like a sister to him, she wanted to be there also. Reluctantly, both of them pulled their hands away and listened to him as he spoke

**Squall**: "I got blind sided by one as I fought another. It's never happened to me, a two on one Rex attack"

Rinoa placed her hand on top of his. She gently squeezed it

**Quistis**: "Big one, got more of a greyish tint to it? Only got one eye?"

**Squall**: "That's the one..."

Quistis shook her head

**Quistis**: "That's the one the cadets have tried to catch several times now - we like the monsters aggressive in there, but this one is too aggressive. I think he's trying to unite them to lead a dinosaur styled revolt."

**Rinoa **(_laughing_): "I can see it now, The dinosaurs all lining up to overthrow Commander Leonhart, the evil lizard slayer before taking control of Garden"

Quistis tried not to laugh. She wasn't as serious as Squall, but she couldn't keep a straight face. She started laughing herself.

**Quistis**: "should we sacrifice the commander to them now as a peace-offering? Maybe they'll leave us alone and just be happy in the training center instead?"

Squall groaned.

**Squall**: "Do what you must, I've been told to rest by the Doc..."

Rinoa stood up, she pointed at the SeeD as if he was a naughty school child.

**Rinoa**: "Don't you lie to me Squall Leonhart! I checked the Infirmary this morning and the good doctor hadn't seen you!"

Quistis stood up. Not wanting to get caught in an argument, she slipped out the room.

**Squall**: "Its fine, all I need is a cura and a potion or two and some rest..."

Rinoa sat down on the bed next to him. She raised her hand over his side and let a pale blue mist seep out from it. It settled down across his side.

**Rinoa**: "What you need Squall is someone to have your back. We're a team - boyfriend and girlfriend, Sorceress and her knight. Why don't you just let me in a bit more. We've been dating for 5 months now"

Rinoa held his hand tightly in hers. He kept his eyes closed, trying to put on a brave face to deal with the pain, but it was obvious he couldn't handle it much more. He'd been seriously hurt - he must have broken his ribs when the monster smashed him with its tail, his abdomen taking the full force of the blow which sent him crashing into the blast doors at the entrance to the area. If it wasn't for his quick thinking in summoning Shiva to help him escape, he probably would have been eaten by the creature.

**Squall**: "I told you, this is all new to me, I really do like you Rin..."

Rinoa lay down beside hm. She ran her hand up his side and gently let it drape across his chest. Holding him close to her, she used another cura spell, trying to ease the pain and some of the bleeding.

**Rinoa**: "But what? I know there is a but commander, so spill it"

**Squall**: (_coughing_) "It's just hard... I don't know what I'm meant to do, I want you with me all the time, bu..."

Rinoa: "But nothing - I am a sorceress, I can fight too, I can defend myself and I'm getting better with my magic too - I haven't started any accidental fires or ruined any of the garden's structure have I?"

Squall tried to smile, she was right. Maybe he would be better bringing her along with him. It would help them both after all, he was her knight and the two would need to fight side by side sometime.

**Squall**: "You win... we'll go together next time..."

Rinoa smiled. She pulled herself closer to Squall and buried her head in his back. Squall squirmed at first but then when he realised how nice it felt to be held, comforted, loved, he relaxed more. He leaned back into her and closed his eyes again. He tried to sleep but the pain was still too much. Rinoa placed her hand on his face, cupping his cheek, gently caressing it with her fingertips.

**Rinoa**: "Squall..."

Squall mumbled her name

**Rinoa**: "When you feel better, we're going to find that T-rexaur and teach it to play nice! We're going to do it, not just you. Do you hear me Commander? This is an order from your Sorceress!"

There was a knock on the door. Rinoa got up and answered it - Doctor K, Quistis and Zell were at the door.

**Zell**: "Quistis came and got us! We heard what happened. We're here to take you to the infirmary"

**Doctor K**: "Squall, you should have come right away!"

Rinoa sighed. She looked at Quistis who flashed her a small smile before mouthing "I'm sorry". Rinoa wanted to be mad but she couldn't be - Quistis was worried, he was her friend too after all. Rinoa smiled back at her and then looked at Squall who the doctor was examining.

**FLASHBACK END**

Squall opened his eyes - he had drifted off again. All he could do was think about Rinoa whenever he closed his eyes. Each memory which came to him made him feel at ease. He then looked to the sleeping Centran lying on the floor next to his rifle. She was so peaceful. Squall felt ashamed for a moment.

_"She's not Rinoa! Remember that!"_

His subconscious self was kicking up a storm. Closing his eyes, he focused on his inner voice.

_"I know this is tough man, I mean if you're struggling, how do you think I feel? I'm floating round in here, trapped with these memories, and then Clone-oa shows up? I am doing my best to keep you on the straight and narrow here pal, We've both been out cold for two years, we gotta hold ourselves together till we get some answers"_

Squall couldn't argue with that logic, it was his own after all.

_"She said we'd find out more at the lighthouse, so let's get there. We've already disabled the tracking unit from the car, they will assume it was destroyed by you and now won't go looking. All we gotta do is get past the patrols, drop them dog tags off, then get across the bay to the southern island"_

Squall looked down at Tarbella, he reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand before pulling her blanket up over her a bit more.

**Squall**: "Thank you for watching out for me"

Dawn broke a few hours later. Tarbella opened her eyes and put her hand up towards her face to try and limit the brightness. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around - the fire was gone and so was Squall. She pulled herself up and looked over towards the stairs - Squall was halfway up them, scouting the area with his rifle - making sure no one was coming or near them. satisfied with his surveillance, he came back down the stairs and headed over towards Tarbella.

**Squall**: "Did you sleep well?"

**Tarbella**: "Yes, thank you"

**Squall**: "Good. We have a vehicle now, so the journey should be a little bit quicker"

**Tarbella**: "What is your plan? Are you going to head straight for the coast?"

Squall shook his head. He pulled out the dog tags from his pocket and shown her them

**Squall**: "I have a promise to fulfill before we continue on our path. We stop near a base about five miles from the coast, drop these off and re-supply before we hit the coast. There we can decide how to cross the bay"

Tarbella approached Squall. She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

**Tarbella**: "Thank you Squall. Thank you for saving me"

Squall hesitantly hugged her back. He allowed her a moment of peace before he pulled his arms away from her and pulled her arms off him. He brushed her hair from in front of her face and saw that her eyes were watering. She looked up at the SeeD and wiped her eyes before backing away.

**Tarbella**: "I'm.. I'm sorry... It's just... I.."

Squall raised his hand to silence her. He'd seen Rinoa do this to him plenty of times over the years so he felt he could handle this without making the current situation rather awkward.

**Squall**: "Look, this is a bit too much for us both - you're only just alive again after at least eight or nine decades being tethered to this world by an emotional connection, and I'm missing all my friends and 2 years of my life. If I've learned anything over the years, it's that you can't always do this on your own, you need someone to have your back and given our situation, we only have each other, so lets work together"

Tarbella smiled as Squall offered his hand to her. She could walk, but not very well due to her injury in the fight with the Red Giant. She took his hand as he helped her towards the car. As she got herself in and comfortable she thought to herself.

_"Angel was right all along, he is the one to help stop this chaos"_


	12. Chapter 12 - Dreams pt2 - The Centran

**FLASHBACK - CENTRA CONTINENT, 101 YEARS AGO**

It was a warm summers day in the Southern Continents. The lands were filled with lush greenery, like those round Timber and Winhill. The centerpiece of all this lush landscape was a giant grey structure. It stood tall, well over one hundred feet in height in the middle of a courtyard. It was surrounded by pillars and smaller buildings made of yellowish sandstone and white marble. The sound of people resonated through the area, this was a thriving community. People worked in the fields, children ran through the streets, it was a peaceful existence.

_"Where is that daughter of mine?"_

A woman's voice shouted across a village square. People looked around to see where the person she was shouting at was - it was a twenty-three year old who had mousey-brown hair and pale skin, a rarity for a Centran. She was average height, slim build and to most of the men and boys in the town, the literal definition of perfection. She looked like an Angel to them and the way she gracefully walked across the square to her mother got everyone's heads turning.

_"Mum? You called?"_

The older woman, a dark-haired, fuller figured woman in her mid forties folded her arms across her chest, scowling at her daughter.

**Mother**: "Tarbella! What have I told you about ducking out of work? It's almost lunch time, you know the men come back from the fields and it gets busy in the tavern!"

Tarbella sighed. She was twenty-three, but her reality felt like she was still just a teenager. She longed for the chance to escape, but the peaceful life on the centran continent was just too much to risk throwing away. It was full of harmony and just so... perfect.

**Tarbella**: "I already prepared the food for the lunch servings and made sure the ale was brought up to the bar and hooked up too. I cleaned the tables off too. I have done everything you needed doing..."

**Mother**: "No you haven't! You haven't stayed out of trouble!"

Tarbella shot her mother an icy glare. If it had any magical power behind it, it would have frozen her parent on the spot in an icy prison for the rest of time. Her mother had no right to embarrass her in front of the village like this.

**Tarbella**: "I'm never in trouble mother. It's not my fault half of the boys and men here try to fight over my attention. I'm not the one who put Leandro in hospital, nor am I the one who sent Pollus face first out of the bar because he was eyeing me up!"

The mothers face started to go red

**Tarbella**: "I'm a grown woman. I should be married, I should have children of my own but instead you simply smother me, prevent me from actually having a life!"

**Mother**: "Don't you DARE..."

Tarbella spun on her heels and walked away from her mother who had tried to shout after her. It was useless, her daughter was right. Her over protectiveness of her had made her the center of attention in their village. If she'd have just let her go when she was old enough she wouldn't be in this situation.

**-FLASH-**

Night fell across the continent. On a hill overlooking the village, a young couple sat. They looked at the lights in the village slowly going off one by one. As usual, the tavern's was the last on. Tarbella ignored this and turned her attentions to the boy next to her. He was leaning back, propping himself up with his arms, looking up at the moon. Instead of its normal white, it was blue and red. It looked like a giant eye, watching them.

**Tarbella**: "Are you still looking at the moon? Its been like that for weeks now"

The boy sighed. She'd never understand his fascination with the moon. He was an astronomer and he was almost onto something huge in his mind. As he tried to ignore her, the girl placed her hand on his stomach and ran her fingers up his chest. He wore a simple khaki tunic and grey shorts. She stopped at the neck of his tunic and playfully tugged on it.

**Tarbella**: _(To herself)_ "I know it is your job Logus, but could you just for once look at me"

She removed her jacket. Underneath it was a black vest top which left nothing to the imagination. It clung to her sides but was still lose enough to show most of her chest. She took his head and turned it from the moon towards her, forcing him to look at her. She leaned into him, making sure she emphasised her figure and cupped the back of his head in both of her hands so he couldn't turn away. Having his full attention, his green eyes looking into her brown eyes, connected at last she finally spoke

**Tarbella**: "I asked you out here tonight so I could talk to you Logus, not to sit here whilst you drool over the moon!"

Logus started to blush. He'd been invited out by the most desirable girl in the village, and instead of taking advantage of this situation by talking, getting to know her even better and trying to make a date of it, he let his mind wander back to the moon.

**Tarbella**: "Logus, I know the moon is important to you, but right now, here on earth there is something you can study close up"

Logus flashed her a smile, it was no secret that he adored her but he could never get close to her due to the other boys and men in the village always hounding her. She was inviting him to make his move but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

**Logus:** "Bell, I.."

Tarbella let go of his head and playfully pushed him onto his back

**Tarbella:** "I give up! I give you EVERY signal, and as usual, your head is still in the clouds!"

**Logus**: "That is my job remember, I study heavenly objects"

Logus placed heavy emphasis on the word "Heavenly". As he did, he looked her right in the eyes. She didn't know what to think. Her mind was racing. This was probably the most direct he had been to her and she liked it. It excited her. Before he could even speak again, she flung herself at him. Her arms wrapping round him, pressing herself against him, she kissed him. Biting at his lip and digging her nails into his sides. She'd been waiting for this moment for years. At first she thought that he didn't notice her, but as she kissed him, letting her hands explore his body more and more, she realised he had always been watching her, he just couldn't get close due to her mother's smothering nature or the men and boys not leaving her alone. Reluctantly pulling away she gazed into his eyes once more

**Tarbella:** "I don't know what came over me..."

**Logus**: "Maybe Hyne is watching us and has had enough of us dancing around this situation"

Tarbella lay down on the grass next to him. She took his hand and locked her fingers in between his and held them tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder and placed her other hand on his chest.

**Tarbella:** "Maybe... but then again, maybe he's not looking because he wants to give us privacy, and the moon is just being rude!"

The two lovebirds laughed. They stayed on the hill all night being watched by the moon. Neither of them knew what was going to come next but at least they were going to face it together.

**-FLASH-**

Logus frantically searched through the pile of papers across his desk. He had read old texts which referenced the moon and its appearance changing every few generations and one of them mentioned monsters, but he couldn't remember which one.

**Logus**: "It was here somewhere..."

Logus searched round the papers before finding it. It was an obscure Centran text which very few people had read or even bothered too. The Scholars in Odin's court were only bothered about machinery and technology, not about the moon or the heavens so they ignored it a lot. They held Logus with the same contempt - he was a brilliant young mind and instead of helping build the future, he was obsessing with the out of reach past. Logus laid his hands on a parchment. He smiled as he found the paper he was looking for. It was wrote in Higher Centran, an old language which only the academics, mages, high priests and the nobility used.

_"Cumque operuisset superficiem terræ, et lunam,_  
_Coepit intueri et terram_  
_Monstra, ad pestem, et mutatio_  
_idcirco stillabit"_

Logus read it again, this time, he translated it into the common tongue so it would be easier to explain to others who actually believed him.

_"When the surface of the moon_  
_Begins to watch the earth_  
_Monsters, plague and change_  
_rain down"_

Logun read it out loud to himself once more. He put his paper down for a moment and glanced out his window at the moon. He tried to shake the uneasy feeling he had, but it was no use, what he had just read and translated, what he had observed over the past few months. He remembered that records of the moon changing colour were very rare to find and most data from it was very vague. The Seer's and prophets would refer to this as a bad omen. Little did he know it was an extremely bad omen. At first he wanted to rush to the court and present his findings, but he knew he would be mocked, so instead he did the opposite - he rushed to find Tarbella. Once he found her, they would both journey towards the court together.

**-FLASH-**

_"What do you mean it is of no importance to us all? The moon is going to change our world as we know it and you are just content to sit here in your grand court and argue over the designs of a cog? You need to look out at the sky and see for yourself. The moon is watching us, things are starting to happen, crops are failing but we have had plenty of good weather"_

Logus wanted to scream at the old robed men. The scholars couldn't care less about what a gifted astronomer had to say. Their ignorance would be the continent's downfall.

**Logus**: "Please, listen to me! I beg of you..."

The scholars turned their backs on the young man. Two armed guards stood either side of him.

**Logus**: "You have to listen! This is not a good sign, something bad will happen"

The man's pleas fell on deaf ears as the guards escorted him out of the building.

**FLASHBACK END**

Tarbella woke up. The sun was starting to set across the continent once more. How long had she been asleep? She looked around the vehicle which she was in - Squall was nowhere to be seen. He was probably out hunting for more food, or scouting the area, looking for a safer route towards the coast. She opened the door and stepped out of it. Jumping down onto the floor, she glanced up at the moon - it was its usual white self. It filled her with both anger and sorrow when she saw it. The celestial body had taken everything in her world away from her - her home, her family, he love and her life.

Tarbella: "Why did you take it all away from us Hyne? We did no wrong."

Tarbella drew her coat around her tighter, trying to stay warm. Although it was summer in Centra, the nights had always been harsh, even more so now given the effects of the Lunar Cry - it totally altered its climate and landscape - what was once meadow and fertile farmland was now dried up plains with some sparse vegetation. It saddened her to see her home look this way, what was once a beautiful utopian society was now just empty ruins. She knelt, picking up some dirt in her hands before crushing it between her fingers for a few moments and then letting it fall to the floor again.

**Tarbella:** "Logus"

A tear formed in the corner of her eye. It pained her to know she was alive again and her lover was not. She let it fall to the floor before wiping her eyes, trying to mask any signs of weakness. Her leg still hurt from when she had been injured in the fight with the Red Giant but it was getting more and more bearable with every hour. Nothing had been seriously broken, it was just tender as hell. Walking slightly further from the car, she looked around again but couldn't seem to find Squall. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned around and headed back towards the car. As she did, the sound of footsteps distracted her. She looked around to try and identify the direction from which they were coming. As she did, a hand clasped down on her shoulder. She let out a scream in surprise and quickly spun round. Her hand glowed with a pale green aura as she spun and without even looking at who it was, she released the magically charged hand into the person's midsection. The green charge rushed right into their body and sent them staggering back several feet.

_"HEY!"_

Squall held his abdomen for a moment as he looked at Tarbella. She was only acting out of instinct, something which he was thankful for, but the modified aero spell she launched at him had literally knocked the wind out of him. Shaking his head and coughing, he held up his free arm in a surrendering like gesture

**Squall:** "No more wind..."

Tarbella rushed over to him. She slung his arm around her shoulders and helped walk him back to the car. She got him into the driver's seat and let him relax for a few moments. As he tried to regain his composure, Tarbella watched him. He held his stomach still, but his face worried her. It was bloodied.

**Tarbella:** "Run into any trouble?"

**Squall:** "Not really, just fell over"

Tarbella didn't buy it. She looked at Lionheart. It was covered in filth so she couldn't tell if there was any fresh blood on it, but his pants told a different story - they were shredded round his knees and blood was visible on the exposed skin.

**Squall:** "Tried to get a good vantage point on a rocky formation. Got ambushed by a few Buels. The aerial attack took me by surprise. Had to jump down, landed awkwardly, fell."

Tarbella looked around the front of the car - she found a potion and passed it to him

**Tarbella:** "it's not much, but it should help."

Squall thanked her as he took the vial and drank it. It tasted bitter but the old tales always said "Worse it tastes, the better it works". Shuddering at the taste of the liquid going down his throat, he pulled out his map and started pointing at it.

**Squall:** "We are here (motioned to map), the nearest coastal base with boat access is here (pointed). Its 2 days drive because of troop patrols and boat patrols. We'll move out tomorrow morning and stop in the early evening near this formation (points again)."

**Tarbella:** "Why there?"

**Squall:** "It has a cave, big enough for us to hide the truck in during the day and night".

**Tarbella:** "So what happens then, spend a full day in the cave, sneak in the base at night and steal a boat?"

**Squall:** "pretty much, i'll work on how we can do that together"

Tarbella nodded. She looked at Squall who closed his eyes.

**Squall:** "Its your watch again tonight, wake me if you need anything"

Tarbella nodded. She hoped this watch wouldn't be as eventful as the last watch. Closing the vehicles door, she climbed up the ladder on its side and sat on the roof. Touching her amulet again, she sighed. Apart from her and Squall, there was no one around. A far cry from a century ago when this would have been a thriving trade route with taverns lining it and inns. She looked to the north, she could barely make out the ruined colossal structure in the distance, but she knew exactly where it was - home.

_"I don't know what would have happened if they listened to you Logus, there was no stopping that thing, the red tears of the moon..."_

She looked at the moon again, it was peaceful and white still, but to her, it would always be the evil eye which destroyed her home.

_"Thanks to Angel, I now have a new life. Hopefully she can bring everything back, not just me"_

Touching her pendant once more, she looked out into the darkness surrounding her. It felt like that night she spent with Logus under the stars, it seemed perfect but it was far from it - she was alone.

* * *

**A/N**: This was difficult to write. Trying to create some of Tarbella's backstory here with some small events which will be expanded on later in the story.

For the purpose of this story, I'm using 95 years before the events of Final Fantasy VIII as the Lunar Cry which took out the Centran civilization - in the game some people say 80 years, some say 100 years, so i'm going with 95 years ago.


	13. Chapter 13 - I'll be waiting

_"I'll be here..."_

_"Why...?"_

_"I'll be 'waiting'... here..."_

_"For what?"_

_"I'll be waiting... for you...so... if you come here... you'll find me."_

_**"I promise."**_

Squall woke in a cold sweat just before dawn. The words echoed through his mind. It was the promise, the same promise he made with Rinoa six years ago before they risked everything to save the world. They stood in the flower field by the orphanage, hand in hand. She looked into his eyes and they both promised each other they would meet there when the world was falling apart, only he broke his promise. He couldn't find his way to her, he lost her. Even though she found him, brought him back from the dead, made him feel whole again, he just couldn't come to terms with the guilt of not finding her like he'd promised her. It got easier as time went on, he had learned that although he felt his bond with his friends and her was strong, his isolation and reliance on himself despite being in a team nearly cost him his life. Maybe that is why he couldn't remember the last two years of his life? A voice beside him disturbed him from his internal reasoning.

**Tarbella**: "You were thinking about her weren't you?"

Squall nodded. His mind kept flashing back to Rinoa whenever he drifted into the security of his own mind. To some, it may have seemed like Rinoa had been trying to reach out for him in a way - bringing his attention to memories of her just to remind him that she is still alive and they do share a bond. He wished this situation was so much more simple or someone could just directly tell him if Rinoa was trying to use their bond to reach out to him. He just wished if she was communicating with him, how he could respond. Trying to keep his mind off it, he started the car and they set off on the next leg of their journey.

**Squall**: Yeah, you got me..."

Tarbella watched him. She could tell that this situation they were in was making him feel uncomfortable. She wasn't Rinoa but she looked like her - she had assumed her physical appearance after all to help get him to co-operate and to listen to her. She could tell that he was struggling to accept that she was his company for the foreseeable future. Tarbella studied Squall's face as he gazed into the distance. She could easily figure out what he was thinking but she had promised him that she would respect his privacy and would stay out of his mind unless absolutely essential. She could however read his body language like a book. It was screaming out the confusion he was in as he tried to separate Rinoa from Tarbella. He knew the Centran next to him was not his sorceress, but she looked like her so he had to keep reminding himself she wasn't her. Tarbella could also sense the subtle things about his mental state. The way he spoke, acted, looked at her, he was trying to be civil or even friendly to her given she was his only real company in the past two years, but at the same time it was conflicting with him. He was cold and distant when on the battlefield or strategizing their next move, but he was also overly protective of her. Maybe this was just a means to an end though on his part - she was the key to him getting the answers she needed. The main question though she felt she couldn't answer if he asked her though was how to find Rinoa. Even she did not know that. Only Angel could tell him.

Squall hated himself for feeling this dependent on Rinoa in his mind. He loved her, there was no questioning that fact, but when they were together, or in close proximity to each other, he was never like this, thinking about her whenever his mind allowed it. Maybe this was all some kind of emotional karma - he had taken her for granted sometimes when she was available, not seeming to be as into it as she was, but she did know deep down he loved her and that it was hard for him to express himself sometimes. Turning his focus back to driving, he looked out of the front window, the sun was blazing and there was a faint breeze, whipping up the surface dust, lowering the overall visibility. Perfect conditions for any ambush the Esthar troops could launch. He tried to concentrate on just making it towards the coast. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but he was aware of the silence in the car. He tried to find comfort in it, but he couldn't, there was an underlying tension in it, something which kept eating away at the pair of them. No amount of small talk could help them as the silence kept winning out. In the end it was the Centran who broke the deadlock.

**Tarbella**: "I can change my form if you wish?"

Squall thought about what Tarbella said to interrupt his thoughts. He knew she could change her appearance. In his mind she was masked with gemstones for eyes, but could she do that in the flesh? Had Angel brought her back from the dead, made her a magical body? Was she actually a sorceress? Was she only able to do this because she had assumed Rinoa's form, therefore she had assumed some of her magical powers? This statement brought too many questions for the troubled SeeD's mind to even logically order and to try and ask.

**Tarbella**: "Sorry if this has confused you. I should have explained this sooner."

**Squall**: "Go on"

**Tarbella**: "When I was alive, I was a sorceress. Not a very powerful one mind, but a sorceress none the less. In Centra, it wasn't uncommon for women to be naturally adept with or born with magical abilities in some form or other, whether it be what you call "Para-Magic" or "Natural Magic". We all had special abilities along with an affinity for casting magic"

Squall tried to work this out in his mind. He was sat next to a re-incarnated Centran sorceress who had asumed the form of one of the most recognizable sorceresses in the modern era..

**Tarbella**: "When I was brought back, my powers seemed to be augmented. Originally, when I was alive my powers were weak at best - I was telepathic to some extent, I could detect people's presence around me, manipulate basic elements and cast midlevel magic, but the prize ability I was blessed with was the ability to change my physical appearance/form to whatever I wanted. The only downside was it only worked on people who were not Centrans. It wouldn't work on anyone in the southern island continents."

**Squall**: "So another way of saying your power is the ability to manipulate and control light - creating illusions. Deception?"

Tarbella nodded

**Tarbella**: "Combine that with my telepathy, I could pretty much become whatever anyone wanted me to look like"

**Squall**: "And that was considered weak in Centra?"

Tarbella sighed

**Tarbella**: "Unfortunately yes. 1 in 7 girls born in these lands had an affinity towards magic and sorcery. We had a wide range of sorceresses here in the southern lands. Some were all-powerful, they struck fear into people, they had such spiritual pressure it could alter the very surroundings they were in. Those sorceresses, like the one you know as Adel, those were the strong ones, the ones the people wanted. Sorceresses like me were of little use. The people wanted fear and control, not cunning and deception. Blood and conquest, not stealth and progress."

**Squall**: "But, I thought you only inherited your powers, you weren't born with them..."

**Tarbella**: "That is true also - we are born with some magical abilities, but when we reach our teens or late childhood, we normally recieve our powers. Every time the girls were born, the scholars at Odin's Court would assess them to see if they had any magical abilities or predisposition to inheriting abilities. If they did, they were branded with what they named the "Seal of Hyne" - it was ancient blood magic which tied us to our fate"

Tarbella turned her back on Squall and slid the cardigan off her back. He could see her bare skin. Paralell to her spine, either side of it were two crudely drawn wings, tattooed on.

**Tarbella**: "That is the spell which gives us our 'wings' - the trademark of a sorceress it seems. We are winged creatures of destruction - raining magical fury down on our enemies. Or we are winged protectors, saving the weak, like angels."

**Squall**: "So, comparing it to my experiences, you guys with the wings were like me and my fellow SeeDs - the elite troops, the ones to watch for in battle?"

**Tarbella**: "In a way, yes... but I was never required for battle. It was mainly those who left for Dollet or Esthar or Trabia who were the warrior types. Though I was considered to be above most people due to my status, I was a let down in my mother's eyes. She wasn't keen on the fact the scholars had found out I was blessed with abilities and when they didn't live up to her lofty expectations, she just... froze me out."

Squall shifted his position, frowning as he did.

**Tarbella**: "I was the first in my family for eight generations to be magically gifted. Everyone said it of my mother, that she would have been the one gifted, but she never was. She longed for the recognition, the power, the fame, the glory. I didn't want any of that, I just wanted to live my life as I always had."

Tarbella paused, Squall could see this was getting hard for her.

**Squall**: "If you want to stop, you can"

Tarbella shook her head

**Tarbella**: "No.. I have to go on, acceptance is always the most important step. If I can't talk about it, how can I get on with it?"

Squall shrugged his shoulders

**Tarbella**: "When I was thirteen, the royal guard brought a sorceress to my village. She was old and ready to die, it was time for her to pass on her gift. According to the scholars, every sorceress knows who to pass her gifts onto. This woman had obviously waited a long time for me, she could barely stand. When she passed the powers to me..."

**Squall**: "Nothing happened, because your magic didn't work on the Centra?"

**Tarbella**: "Precisely. It was made out to be a big deal - a sorceress coming to our town and giving me her gift, a gift which would only seem to be useful if I sought adventure. Something my mother would not let me do."

**Squall**: "Because you had expectations to live up to, and she would take your leaving to learn about your powers as shying away from your responsibility to the village?"

**Tarbella**: "Precisely. It was a horrid time. I could not relax at all, the burden was too much for a teenager"

**Squall**: _(to himself)_ "sounds pretty familiar..."

Tarbella sighed to herself as she too adopted the 'distant gaze' she often found Squall doing.

**Tarbella**: "How did you do it Squall? How did you cope? You've been shouldering the burden for.."

**Squall**: "Too **_fucking_ **long!"

Tarbella looked at Squall, she could sense his frustration. Instinctively she reached out for his arm just to try and offer some comfort but Squall snatched it away from her.

**Squall**: "This whole thing is messed up. By father brought down Adel, then I did 17 years later, then I brought down Ultimecia, held off an entire armed division at a train station north of Timber on my own... now i'm the worlds most wanted man... Expectations have been truly exceeded by this point I believe"

**Tarbella**: "I... I didn't me.."

Squall cut her off

**Squall**: "It's not your fault, I'm just tired. Tired of all the fucking quests, goose chases, administration, SeeD... Life... I just want a break from everything. Maybe those two years where I have no memory at all were the best thing to happen to me?"

Tarbella winced. She could feel the venom in his words. They truly were the words of a man who had given up hope. Angel could fix him, she had a way of fixing everyone.

**Tarbella**: "We'll have your answers soon Squall..."

**Squall**: "Whatever"

There it was again, the defence mechanism had kicked in. He had let his guard down and actually connected to another human being for a moment. He then realised what he had done and sought to rectify it by being aggressive and shutting himself off, severing the slight connection as best as he could. He knew that she was only trying to help him. It was hard for her too this situation - being brought back from the dead and tasked with finding him and brining him to the mysterious Angel. He couldn't help but take his frustrations out on her, she was the only company he had now and it was just his natural reaction. He felt guilty about it, but the Centran simply smiled at him. She could tell he was troubled and she was determined to help him through this.

**Tarbella**: "I know it is not in your nature Squall, but all you need to do is ask and I will be there for you every step of the way"

Squall simply nodded. He wanted to smile, to thank her, but he still couldn't separate who she was from who she looked like. He felt like the space he was in was slowly shrinking around him. He felt trapped in the vehicle, just the two of them in the barren countryside of Centra, looking for the coast. It seemed like a big cliché, something which Rinoa and Selphie would be drooling over - a man and a woman alone in a deserted continent. Squall felt uncomfortable and the more he tried to hide it, the more he felt it shown. The tension he was creating for himself was starting to smother him.

_"I need a Distraction... anything... Please get me out of here"_

Squall begged for salvation as the car continued on its journey. He kept his attention focused on the road ahead of him, completely unaware of what was happening in the seat next to him. Tarbella had her eyes closed. Clutching her pendant once again in her right hand, she raised her left hand and waved it across her face. A red aura surrounded her and she began to change. Squall could feel the pressure radiating from her and just assumed she was scanning the area, but he was wrong.

**Squall**: "Did you feel anything up ahead?"

Tarbella didn't reply. He waited a few seconds before turning to face her. He looked and didn't think much as he glanced at her to see if she had finished. She still had her eyes closed and was concentrating on the pendant clutched tightly in her hands. He turned back again, this time slamming his foot down on the brakes. The car screeched to a halt as he tried to take in what he was seeing - Tarbella was changing right before his eyes - she was no longer Rinoa in appearance, but herself.

Her long black hair was replaced with sleek mousey-brown hair which rested on her shoulders before trailing down to the middle of her back. Her skin was even paler than Rinoa's. Instead of wearing Rinoa's trademark black vest, shorts, boots and blue duster cardigan, she wore a body hugging long dress like vest which reached down to her upper thighs. It was plain white, but underneath it she wore a tighter vest which was black. It left little to the imagination - it outlined her figure perfectly. She wore a long brown skirt with repeating green squares as a pattern on it. Her boots were black and although they were covered by her skirt, he assumed they were at least calf high. He tried not to look at her too long but he couldn't help it. He was mesmerized by her. She released the pendant from between her hands and looked up at him. She opened her eyes, they were like Rinoa's - dark brown and full of warmth. Her face was perfect - nothing seemed out-of-place, it was all in proportion. Her eyes were evenly spaced, her nose was just regular, it wasn't large, upturned, off centred, just normal. She looked so normal, but at the same time, she was so beautiful in a way which transcended just being normal. She smiled at him and finally broke the silence, drawing his attention from her looks to her voice.

**Tarbella**: "I am sorry if I took you by surprise Squall, I just felt it was best if I was myself around you."

**Squall**:_ (To himself)_ "Yeah, you don't say"

**Tarbella**: "I am sorry I had to take her appearance, it just seemed like the only way to reach out to you and to get you to listen to me. If my deception has upset you..."

**Squall**: "Don't worry about it, I wasn't that thrilled, but I know how hard I can be to get through to... You did what you thought was right.."

**Tarbella**: "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you again, this time as myself... I am here for you Squall. I will stand by you. You are not alone..."

Squall let a faint smile appear on his face. It was big enough to let her know he acknowledged her offer of support but in his mind he was troubled. Tarbella had promised to stand by him, but was it just because of honour - he saved her life at the ruins. He liked the company though he didn't want to admit it, but he didn't want her to stay just because she felt obliged to.

**Squall**: "What happens when we find Angel? Are you going to stay with me then and help me find the others and do whatever it is I am meant to do?"

Tarbella nodded

**Squall**: "Is that because you want to, or feel obliged to?"

Tarbella expected this. Squall was trying to process this act of compassion and caring with cold hard logic. She admired how detached he could be but at the same time, it was infuriating. She held her tongue as every part of her wanted to scream at him.

**Tarbella**: "What would you rather it was?"

Squall cursed under his breath

**Squall**: "Nice deflection"

**Tarbella**: "Squall, you aren't alone. We will find your friends... We will find Rinoa... We will find your answers"

Squall nodded.

**Squall**: "And you... what will we find for you?"

Tarbella didn't answer. She simply held the pendant around her neck for a moment and closed her eyes. All she could see was her and Logus on that hillside under the heavens with the moon watching them.

**Tarbella**: _(to herself)_ "Nothing, for me, there is nothing"

* * *

A/N: A bit more about our mysterious Centran and my take on how the sorceresses of the past may have been and what they could have done with their powers.


	14. Chapter 14 - Fulfilling a promise

_"For Hyne's sake, it should be round here somewhere"_

Squall cursed to himself. Lowering the scope of the rifle he was using to scan the area, he shook his head. He looked down to the ground below him - Tarbella sat toying with the remains of a Buel wing. It was foul-tasting but it was all they had until they could reach the Esthar outpost and steal better provisions. He looked back towards the distance and raised the scope once again. He looked round, adjusting the zoom of the scope till it was in focus enough for him. Satisfied with the results, he lay down in a prone position on top of the rocky outcrop and looked again.

_"Anything, just give me anything..."_

Squall wanted to pinpoint the location of the outpost before charging in. It probably held around one hundred troops and would have been heavily armed, therefore locating it and adequately planning the raid on it was of the highest priority. The only problem was, this was an Esthar outpost so the chances were likely that it was cloaked. He could drive right through it and be caught in an ambush and they would be none the wiser. Squall knew he could just head to the coast, but the vehicle was low on fuel, his rifle was low on ammo and they were low on supplies. He had to raid it somehow. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to put some order to his fragmented thinking. It didn't work, the questions just didn't line up the way he needed them to. He looked down the scope again, hoping to catch sight of a patrol, a troop, a rock out-of-place... anything which would point them in the right direction.

_"Maybe I can help?"_

Squall knew Tarbella was busy ordering their supplies and preparing for the raid they were planning, but because of her telepathic abilities she could converse with him in the same way that Rinoa and Squall could do. Being the knight of a sorceress had its perks sometimes.

**Squall**: "How?"

**Tarbella**: "I could draw attention by going into my Angel form. No one actually knows what Angel looks like remember. If I start blasting off magic randomly and float above the ground, wings outstretched whislt you use the vehicles radio to contact the base, claiming to have sighted Angel and you need to make a request for back up, you should be able to see where the vehicles come from. You can head there, I'll hold them off long enough for you to get what you need and get out towards the coast..."

Squall admired her plan. It wasn't perfect but it was the best idea that they had come up with whilst lying low and evading the patrols. His main concern though was her being the bait. She could hold her own against a small party of troops, but an entire outpost? That was too risky, even by his standards

**Squall**: "It might work, but I don't want to risk you being hurt. Its one thing to take on six or seven soldiers at once, but if half that outpost comes out, you're outnumbered and out gunned. No matter how powerful you are, one can't beat ten without suffering some form of damage"

Squall sensed the irony in his statement, he was notorious for being a lone wolf and striking out on his own. The train station battle was a prime example - holding the train station single-handedly whilst the other teams struck out along the supply line, in timber itself and even in Deiling city, the heart of Galbadia. He nearly died that day, he had been bed ridden for a month after it just to recover his stamina and energy.

**Tarbella**: "Unlike you Squall, I draw my power from the land around me. I can single-handedly hold them off because of my natural ability... and I can also change my form based on their minds remember? If i want, I can appear to be you or a ruby dragon. I can also project my image at them... I can do this from distance, all you need to do, is be ready"

Squall hesitated. It was their best shot and he had to trust her, but he didn't want her in harms way. Despite his cold exterior, he was caring and loyal to comrades and friends, and currently, she was his only friend and comrade.

**Squall**: "No, we do this together. I can't leave you behind to play distraction for me. We both have to do this together"

Squall continued to look through the scope. As he did, he noticed a vehicle in the distance. It was headed towards a hill. He watched as the vehicle headed right towards the hill before a shimmer of orange distorted the area and swallowed the truck.

**Tarbella**: "you saw something?"

**Squall**: "Probe out 3 miles north towards the hills. One of them had an orange distortion a moment ago... It's slightly taller than the other hills and has discolored soil"

Tarbella closed her eyes and reached out. She felt her wave of energy come up against a solid mass which it couldn't pass through.

**Tarbella**: "Found it. I can't sense inside it though, it must be blocked to magic."

**Squall**: "Fuck! It means we have to drive into it.."

Tarbella sighed. She knew they wanted to avoid any more fights, but it was also essential that they got into that base.

**Squall**: "We move at nightfall, the base should only be operating at reduced strength then - they will have the night patrols out, the day patrols will be sleeping and the guards will be lower in numbers. Magic could be an issue, we might not be able to use it inside the base given you couldn't penetrate it"

**Tarbella**: "It may block magic, but it might not block all of my powers. If I disguise myself as a soldier, I could get through the base and steal supplies and sabotage their generator to buy us some more time."

Squall put the rifle away and climbed down from the rock formation, continuing his mental conversation with the sorceress.

**Squall**: "If anything goes wrong, get back to here and lay low. I promise I will find you"

**-**

Nightfall came and the two moved out towards the hill. They were both disguised as Esthar soldiers in the military truck. They knew this was a make or break situation and they had to act in whichever way the circumstances they found themselves in, presented themselves. Driving up to where the gate was, they stopped the truck. A pale green beam shot out from the hillside and scanned the vehicle. Squall held his breath hoping it was only scanning their surroundings, not them inside. Thankfully it was only scanning the truck. A shimmer of orange light appeared before them and from out of the countryside appeared the base - it was hidden in plain sight. Esthar's technological expertise was incredible, their resourcefulness knew no bounds but at the same time it scared people - Esthar could easily hide an entire army under cloak and move them in without anyone knowing. Squall proceeded to drive through the base, at a slow crawl in order to stop any attention being drawn to them. He looked to Tarbella sat next to him. She closed her eyes and once again touched her pendant. It glowed in her hands as he felt her spiritual pressure seep out around them.

**Tarbella**: "My magic works. This could be used to our advantage if things go wrong."

Squall nodded. He saw a sign which read "Armoury". He smiled - it was where they needed to be. Looking for a parking spot, they pulled up along side the armoury and cut the engine. Both climbed out. They didn't want to risk early discovery so they communicated mentally.

**Squall**: "I'll infiltrate the armoury, you keep the guard occupied... be weary of cameras though - if we are busted using magic or violence, the entire base will go on lock-down"

**Tarbella**: "I can try to interfere with the cameras, but the best solution would be to take out their power."

Tarbella closed her eyes then looked to the west. She pointed at an access vent

**Tarbella**: "I'll go there, disable their power then".

Squall tried to protest but he knew it would blow their cover. He reluctantly nodded at her and then looked round. He saw a ladder leading to the roof of the armoury. His plan was get up on the roof, eliminate the sentries keeping watch and then infiltrate the armoury. He begun his climb up the ladder as the sorceress made her way across the base towards the access vent on the power building. He knew she would be fine. In a way her abilities suited her to this kind of role - infiltration, sabotage, assassination. For a moment he smiled, she would make the perfect SeeD. He just hoped she thought like one though. She could easily take out a group of soldiers, but when faced with the Red Giant she couldn't handle it. He hoped there would be no surprises like that here for either of them or it could get real messy.

**===TARBELLA===**

She ducked into the shadows between two buildings. Pressing herself up against the wall, she could feel her heart pounding. Two troops armed with shoguns walked past her and stopped outside the power building. It was a close shave for a moment, and she hadn't even tried to infiltrate the place yet. Shaking her head, she wanted to cry out to Squall for help, but she knew he had a job of his own and his was more dangerous than hers if he failed in his task. She clenched her fists and focused her energy into them. The aero spells she junctioned to her attack worked well in stealth situations and they also packed some serious power too when needed. She glanced around the corner and spotted the men talking to each other. Sighting a trash can, she flicked her wrist and released the spell. It smashed into the can and drew the mens attention. As they walked over towards it, Tarbella made her move. Ducking down low, she ran into the men and sweeped the legs out from under one of them. As he fell down, she spun round, releasing the aero spell into the other man's face, sending him to the floor and knocking him unconscious. Pulling herself back up, she pulled the mens bodies into the alley between the buildings and searched through their pockets. She pulled out a biometric data id card and slipped it into her pocket. This would allow her to easily pass through any doors in the building undetected if she needed to make her escape through normal methods. She looked around again, not seeing anyone, she headed towards the side of the building. Reaching up, she pulled the vent off gently and cilmbed in.

It was dark, very confined and warm. It was uncomfortable, but she had to get through to make sure she could help Squall as best as she could. She pulled herself forwards slowly, trying not to make too much noise in case anyone was below her. She occasionally stopped to peer through the vents into the rooms below, but none of them looked like where she needed to be. She hoped that there was a vent leading directly to the generator, but as she closed her eyes and probed the area, she realised there wasn't. Her best choice would be to infiltrate the control room and work from there. The main flaw in this plan was that there were four heavily armed guards in the area and even taking out just one would alert the others to her and squalls position. Her mind raced for a solution, did she try and use sleep magic to flood the rooms, lull the guards to sleep, or would those who resisted the condition realize what is happening? Cursing herself, she reached for her pendant. It was her go to in times of trouble. Just holding it helped her to concentrate and think logically for a moment. The inner peace and clarity it provided her with helped to let her focus. She'd made up her mind with what to do.

_"Squall, I hope this buys you enough time to do what you need to"_

She kicked out the vent and dropped down into the command centre, surrounded by a pale green aura. The operators were taken by surprise as she smashed her fists into the computers, shorting the system and putting the generator into overload.

**Scientist**: "WHAT THE HELL?"

Tarbella flicked her wrist out, sending a pulse of air towards the man, smashing him back first through the door. The sound of flesh on metal attracted the attention of the guards inside. This was her chance. Closing her eyes, she drew all her spiritual energy in and released the seals on her back. The large golden wings formed behind her, spread to the maximum. The guards reached the door and raised their guns. They were about to open fire when they realised what was in front of them

**Guard**: "ITS ANGEL! RADIO COMMAND, PUT US ON LOCK DOWN!"

Tarbella smiled

**Tarbella**: "I am afraid that won't be happening."

Raising both her arms up high, she released several strong bursts of wind, sending the men into the walls and forcing them down the hall. They did have a chance to even radio for back up. The sorceress stepped out of the control room and into the hall. Raising both arms up, she opened her palms and let off two fire spells down the hall, one in each direction. The flames crawled along the wall, like creatures stalking their prey before they found their mark - the soldiers. Their screams of agony from the fire spells were useless, no one could hear them. The generator was about to explode.

**Tarbella**: "Squall, I've disabled the generator. Do what you have to do quickly"

Tarbella made a run for the main door to the power building. She used her magically enhanced strength to kick the door open before running for shelter. Seconds later, there was a loud explosion.

**===SQUALL===**

Squall watched Tarbella head off. As she ran towards the power building he turned away from the armoury. He had no intention of going into there, until power had been cut. Instead he headed towards the command offices. His priority was intel and fulfilling a promise to someone - the fallen sniper. Slowly making his way towards the command structure, the SeeD ducked out the main path and into the shadows of the alleyway. Lionheart was too big and noticable to bring with him, so he had to resort to bringing his combat knife and a standard issue Esthar pistol. He felt naked without his gunblade, but he could move a lot quicker this way. Moving forwards, he made his way to the side of the building. There were no guards about. Holding the pistol by the barrel, he used it to smash the key panel on the door, triggering the alarm. He needed to be stealthy, but this distraction was perfect. Two soldiers made their way towards the busted key panel. As they radioed in for an engineer, Squall climbed up onto the window ledge. He slid the window open and silently dropped into the building. Gripping the knife in his left hand and the gun in his right, he adopted a tactical stance, arms crossed over each other, gun above knife, giving himself time to act without even thinking about it. Edging round the corner of the corridor, he made his way cautiously towards the commander's room. The door was locked. Looking round, establishing that the coast was clear, he lifted his leg up and booted the door handle, breaking the lock. Wasting no time, he ducked into the room and closed the door behind him. He only had a few minutes before someone would be in on him so he had to act fast.

Squall made his way to the desk. He pulled out the dog tags and left them in the middle of it before picking up a file. He flicked through it before casting it aside, nothing of any use in there. He moved towards the computer. Turning the screen on he saw it wasn't password protected. Taking advantage, he started checking through the files, looking for anything pertaining to Angel.

_"There's gotta be something in here..."_

Squall continued to scan through them. Every time he thought he hit some luck, it was just a dead end. Nothing about this made any sense at all. Turning the monitor off, Squall rearmed himself and prepared to leave the room. He put his hand on the door but stopped. He felt a familiar sensation and heard words in his head

**_"Squall, I hope this buys you enough time to do what you need to"_**

Squall cursed under his breath. Tarbella hadn't gone in stealthily like planned. This changed everything. Ducking through the door, Squall kept himself low and headed towards the window he entered from. As he reached the corner of the hallway, he peered round the edge - in front of him were two soldiers.

_"Shit!"_

Squall cursed under his breath. He couldn't go out the front door, he didn't want to kill anyone needlessly but he was faced with little choice. Spinning round the corner, he re-adjusted his grip on the knife and threw it at the back of the soldier's neck. As he slumped forwards, his partner turned round, before he could even react, Squall pulled the trigger, firing two quick rounds into the man's chest. As he fell down Squall moved forwards, pulling his knife out of the mans back. Looking over his shoulder, making sure the coast was clear again, the SeeD exited the building. As he dropped down onto his feet he heard an explosion. The lights went down in the buildings around them and the panic of the troops could be heard.

So much for in and out...

* * *

A/N: The Squall and Tarbella parts happen simultaneously. The plan was for tarbella to covertly cut the power whilst squall took out the guards and raided the armoury, but by the looks of things, neither of them were going to act the way they intended the other to


	15. Chapter 15 - Don't be afraid

**=====SQUALL=====**

It was what he had been trained all his life to do, and it was also the only thing he ever knew - combat. He was a SeeD, an elite mercenary, a killing machine, raised to be the perfect soldier. Being on the battlefield this time, didn't feel right. He had done countless missions over the years, some with teams, some solo, some working with other people he had never met before. Most had gone off without a hitch, but this one... It didn't sit right. Ducking in and out of the shadows, trying not to get caught before he could reach Lionheart which he had stowed away near the armory under the truck they had arrived in, Squall was on edge. It rarely happened to the battle hardened Commander but when he did feel on edge, you could tell something big was about to go down. Tarbella wasn't meant to go in all guns blazing like this. By now the distress signal had probably been sent and soon the rest of the troops would be headed back to base to re-enforce, circle the base and stop the attack. Squall slipped his knife into his belt and gripped the gun with both hands. It was a standard issue service pistol, based on a semi-automatic .45 caliber pistol. He'd already fired two shots from it and he only had another 6 in the chamber with 3 clips remaining. He had to get to the truck quickly. Peering round the corner, he saw two guards making their way towards him, glancing in each alleyway between the buildings as they went. He had to move fast, hit hard and be as efficient as possible until he reached his gunblade.

_"Tarbella, why did you go loud?"_

Squall shook his head as he thought. He didn't mean for it to come across as trying to communicate with her, but if she responded and gave him an answer it would have at least eased him a little. Taking the safety off his pistol, Squall peered round the corner again, the men were almost by his alleyway. He twisted the pistol round in his hand once more, holding it like a club. His plan was simple - strike the first in the face, flick the gun round and put a bullet in the second. He didn't like using firearms in combat, but he didn't deny their usefulness. He made a mental note to thank Irvine if he ever saw him again, his training sessions over the years had built him into a competent gun user. He heard the men's footsteps drawing closer. Squall closed his eyes and took a deep breath, it was now or never. He jumped up and smashed the butt of the pistol into the face of the man checking his side first. He let out a muffled moan before dropping to the floor. His partner turned around. As his eyes looked down at his partner, he heard the clicking of a gun. He looked up - the last thing he saw was the barrel of a gun and a flash of white. The bullet tore through the man's head-gear and he collapsed on the floor. Clean, efficient and without mercy. Just like how SeeD had taught him to be. Wasting no time he headed off towards the armoury, moving in the same pattern - in the shadows and staying alert to any ambushes. He moved as fast as he could to avoid being detected but as he got closer to the armory, the more troops there were. Sooner or later he was going to have to use brute force to pull himself through this, and armed with only a knife, limited magic and a gun, that was his least preferable situation. He put the gun back in its holder and looked down the alleyway - a ladder.

_"Get on that, get to the roof, take out a sniper, get down to the truck"_

Squall hated thinking on the move, he preferred the much more calm and calculated approach of having everything in place before hand and moving to different plans only when he needed to. It was his job to be versatile and prepared for anything and everything, but it wasn't something he liked doing. As he climbed the ladder, he looked down behind him - more troops had arrived in the base. It seems the day shift had woken up during the attack and joined the fight.

_"Fuck"_

**=====TARBELLA=====**

She always loved the wind. It had so much power - it could be gentle and caring as it helped a child fly their kite or push a sailboat across the ocean. It could also be destructive - whipping up sandstorms, waves, blowing down buildings. When she first realized her magical ability, she sought to learn how to control the elements and where many opted for the common ones - fire, ice, thunder or water, she opted for wind. Her arsenal of spells was smaller than most but they were also more powerful and could be used in a variety of unorthodox ways. As she stood near the smoldering wreckage of the generator building, she raised both her hands and circled them round before flicking her wrists out in front of her. The small tornado she had created surged forwards, picking up rubble and flinging it into the surrounding buildings.

_"I hope this draws their focus enough, Squall should be out of the armoury by now."_

He wasn't and she didn't know this. The soldier's first port of call when a base was under attack was to set up a defensive perimeter and then to go to the armoury - supply, bring out the big weapons and then make their stand. If anything, her actions had been counter productive. She thought she could hear Squalls voice in her mind, but she couldn't - it was only the screams of soldiers who had never stood toe to toe with a sorceress before. To them, she was death. Her wind was her white horse and her scythe. Whatever it came across, it cut down without mercy and carried them away. She  
could feel the power surging through her veins and she enjoyed it. Her normally calm features had steeled themselves and a look of pleasure was slowly creeping across her face as she flung the gusts of wind into soldiers, smashing them against the walls, lampposts and each other. She was getting drunk off power and she didn't even realize it.

_**"BE GONE!"**_

Tarbella unleashed another tornado spell, this one was larger than the last and it brought with it more destruction. Buildings started to fall apart under the strain of her magical onslaught. Part of her wondered why Squall was so hesitant to attack the base with her head on like this, they both could have easily taken control of it in mere minutes if they hit it head on. Sending more and more troops to their death, Tarbella continued on. She was completely unaware that she was in the sights of a sniper who had allowed her to go on her rampage. He was going to pull the trigger on her soon and drop her with one round, but he just needed time. Smiling to himself, he took a deep breath and readied his finger on the trigger. He gently squeezed it but didn't go through with it - that shot would only draw attention to him. He took another deep breath and set his sights on her once again, this time he aimed for the back of her neck. This shot would be more effective. As he placed his finger on the trigger, he was lost in his own surroundings, nothing else mattered to him, his world was the small field of view he had in his scope. Satisfied with his target, he spoke before pulling the trigger.

_"Goodbye"_

A bullet left the barrel of the gun with a loud cracking noise.

Tarbella looked up, she heard the gunshot and then saw where it had come from. A sniper's body had fell to the floor from the roof of a nearby building and standing where he had been was Squall with a smoking gun in his hand. Her look of pleasure soon faded when she realised what had happened - She was so drunk with power she didn't bother to guard her back and she had let someone line up what would have been a fatal shot. If it wasn't for the SeeD being in the right place at the right time, she would have been dead. She couldn't make out his face, but she knew it was wearing an expression of anger. She wanted to reach out to him but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had let him down and made things ten times as difficult as they should have been. She quickly ducked out of sight into an alley way and held onto her pendant. A pale blue light surrounded her and next thing Squall knew, she was stood along side him. She didn't say a word, she didn't have to. Squall could see how sorry she was - her head was hung low, staring at the floor, she had hold of her wrist and was distancing herself from him. Squall broke the silence.

**Squall**: "Its done ok? They know they're under attack so they're following a set pattern. We can work round this"

Tarbella looked up. He was angry, his tone of voice was steady, masking his feelings but she didn't need to hear it or even see it in his body language - she could feel his anger. In her mind she could see the deep red aura round him, burning with intense emotion, so much rage.

**Squall**: "They're supplying at the armoury before moving to defend the supply section, gates and the officers. The other free men will be roaming trying to find us both. Lucky for us, because of your stunt, they think Angel is attacking them, so they're shell-shocked. Bad news is, that could mean the nearest 3 bases could descend upon us at any moment to try and sort the situation out"

Tarbella shook her head.

**Tarbella**: "I'm sorry... I just... felt this rush, it made me feel so alive, invincible... like I could do anything"

**Squall**: "Its only natural to let your emotions take hold on the battlefield if you aren't used to fighting. Sometimes that can help, but it gets you killed or messes things up most of the time."

Squall looked over the roof's edge to the armory. He could see the troops adopting defensive positions around it. He could also spot at least two snipers taking up positions. He reached for his gun and the knife and headed to the ledge. He closed his eyes and prepared to vault over down into the fray but before he could, a blast of fire rained down from the sky. It exploded in the midst of the troops, sending them in all directions. Squall looked behind him - Tarbella stood there with her arms up, hands coated in a red aura.

**Tarbella**: "I've got you covered. Go... get lionheart"

Squall nodded. He jumped over the ledge in to the fray. He landed in a crouched position, rolled and made a run for it. Ducking behind the remains of a blown up truck, Squall peered over and saw troops approaching. He drew his gun and fired a few rounds before breaking from cover and heading towards the truck. Dodging the gun fire, he reloaded and returned fire. As he shot, gusts of wind and blasts of fire rained down around him. He'd fought against and with sorceresses before, and each time, it never failed to terrify him. The raw power they possessed, the ability to just use magic at will and not have to junction spells or worry about the effects they may have on them. He was lucky to have Tarbella on his side, even if she was a little unstable.

**Squall**: "Send a tornado at the blast doors, I'll do the rest. We need to get inside the armory"

Squall ran to the truck. He pulled the door open and pulled the sniper rifle and lionheart out of the front of it. Slinging the rifle over his shoulder, he gripped lionheart in both hands and made a run for the armory. He was running on empty near enough now with magic, but what he had left was enough to accomplish what he had to do. He moved out into the open as the Esthar soldiers started their charge. They knew they had to protect the armoury but they didn't realize at first who they were up against. Standing his ground in front of five of them, Squall gripped the gunblade in both hands and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath he started focusing his attention on creating a spell. The soldiers shouted something but the words were lost to him. All he could hear was the rushing of energy flowing from his mind to his hands. He opened his eyes, lowered the sword slightly and headed forwards, towards the enemy. They raised their guns and prepared to open fire but the tornado spell from Tarbella smashed them out of the way. The wind kept coming, it flung the bodies into the blast door before following up, crushing them with sheer pressure and weakening the solid structure. Waiting for the right moment, Squall jumped. He raised the sword above his head and then slammed it down into the floor. It released a shock-wave as he pulled the trigger which cut across the floor. The shock-wave hit the door with what appeared to be no visible effect at first but then the rumbling of the floor beneath it revealed what had gone on. Squall had released a quake spell with the shock-wave and it had just enough momentum in it to severely weaken the front of the building. The floor violently shook. Cracks formed in the walls and fragments from surrounding buildings fell to the floor. The snipers on the roof tops abandoned their positions - jumping down to lower ground and taking cover. How could two people create so much destruction?

**Tarbella**: "Squall! Look Out!"

Squall heard Tarbella's shouting and looked to the door. It fell forwards with a massive thud, smashing up the concrete surface sending clouds of dust and smoke up into the air. Squall gripped his sword tightly, he knew something was coming, he just didn't know what. Tarbella ran to the edge of the roof. She looked over and saw the dust and smoke-filled battlefield. She ducked down behind the wall and clutched onto her pendant. She closed her eyes and tried to feel what was going on. At first she could only sense the snipers and soldiers outside the base trying to come in to re-enforce the base but then she gasped. There was something big in that armory which Squall and herself had just broken down, and it was coming right for them. She charged up her magic once again, her body was surrounded with the green aura which represented the wind. She was going to fight alongside him this time as his equal instead of messing everything up and needing him to bail her out. She broke from her cover and released two blasts of wind, taking out the snipers who had been trying to shoot her before she jumped down to meet Squall.

**Squall**: "Could you see what was in there?"

**Tarbella**: "No, but what I sensed... it was something big. Squall, I don't think this was just an armory"

**Squall**: "I was beginning to get the same impression, this is something much more"

The Sorceress and the knight stood next to each other. As the dust and smoke cleared, they braced themselves.

**Squall**: "You ready?"

Tarbella nodded.

**Squall**: "Follow my lead, we don't know what is going to come at us. Support us - haste, shell, protect. Once you get that up, you try and find its weakness whilst I attack it to give you time to act"

Tarbella begun buffing them both in preparation for the upcoming fight as the tension built. In the darkness of the armoury they could make out the outline of a person. It was a soldier, he was bloodied and burned but somehow still standing. He stopped in the middle of the doorway and looked right at them. His eyes were dead, his body was ruined but he still somehow stood in front of them. Tarbella reached out to probe him and stepped backwards, trembling with fear.

**Squall**: "Speak to me... What is it?"

**Tarbella**: "...Its like the commander who was the Red Giant... except, this... this is worse..."

Squall pulled his pistol out and shot the man. The bullet sank right between his eyes. He didn't drop though. He just stood there like a statue, unphased and rigid. Squall pulled the trigger again, and again and again, he dumped the rest of the clip into the walking corpse but it had no effect at all.

**Tarbella**: "...It can't be..."

**Squall**: "What is it?"

**Tarbella**: "We need to go NOW!"

Tarbella backed away, as she did, she grabbed Squall's arm and pulled him back. The soldier still stood there staring at them with his dead eyes.

**Squall**: "What is that thing?"

**Tarbella**: "Remember the Red Giant?"

**Squall**: "Vividly"

**Tarbella**: "He's got something just as evil and twice as strong inside him"

Squall cursed under his breath. He could only think of a handful of things stronger than the red giant and one of them chilled him to the bone. Not wanting the creature to show itself, Squall rushed forwards. Tarbella's screams fell on deaf ears. Squall had seen something in those dead eyes which scared him and he had to try and stop it now or both of them would die. The corpse raised its arms and extended them out, leaving itself wide open for an attack. It let its head roll back to look up at the sky and simply waited. The SeeD knew it was a trap, but he had to do it, he had to release the beast trapped within the corpse or he knew it would follow them and hunt them down. As he ran forwards, he brought his sword up and in one fluid motion, thrust it through the stomach of the corpse. As the body lurched forwards, its head dropped down, inches away from Squalls face. The dead eyes stared right into Squalls.

**Corpse**: "We meet again Cursed SeeD!"

Before Squall could even react, the corpse flung him backwards, in the process removing the sword from its abdomen. It reached into its wound with its hands, gripped the flesh either side and torn its own stomach open. Tarbella threw up. It was too much for her to take. She had seen death, she had broken men with fire and wind, but this was too much for her. As she steadied herself against the wall, heaving and gasping for breath the corpse let out a shriek of agony as a cloud of darkness came from it. It rose into the air before manifesting itself in the form of a human. Squall dusted himself off as he pulled himself up. He looked at the corpse on the floor then to the air above it. His eyes widened, he started to panic.

**Squall**: "No... No... You... You're dead... I..."

_**"Cursed SeeD! You will Die THIS TIME"**_

It was like Squall had seen a ghost, except this ghost was very very real and headed his way.

**Tarbella**: "Who is... that?"

Tarbella looked at the woman in front of Squall. She was nearly seven feet tall, extremely muscular and heavily tattooed. She had crimson eyes, long crimson hair and a demonic smile. Two torn black wings trailed out behind her. She radiated pure evil. Her power was enormous. The pressure she emitted forced Tarbella onto her knees, she struggled to try and pull herself up to even face her. She cast a glance at Squall who had managed to get hold of his gunblade. He shuffled backwards towards the wall and used the structure to help him up. He stared the woman in the eyes.

**Squall**: "...Adel"

* * *

**A/N**: Kind of ironic this chapter is called "Don't be afraid" and evil incarnate is making an appearance.


	16. Chapter 16 - The Depths of despair

A/N 1: This chapter may be a little disturbing in parts. You have been warned

* * *

Adel glared at Squall, her crimson eyes stared right through him, chilling him. If anyone had said 'You look like you have seen a ghost" then in this situation they would be correct - Adel had been killed six years ago on board the Lunatic Pandora, triggering the start of time compression. As Squall tried to think of a logical explanation as to why a sorceress like Adel was on an Estharian military base in Centra and how she had come back to life, her voice cut right through his thoughts. She stood in front of him, her hand outstretched.

**Adel**: "You want to know why I am here don't you? Why Adel is with the soldiers of Esthar?"

Squall didn't answer, he knew she was trying to unsettle him. He could feel her energy surrounding him, probing him for any sign of weakness she could rip out and use against him, much like Ultimecia did to anyone she planned to control. Squall stood his ground. He closed his eyes, steeled his resolve and gripped the handle of the blood stained lionheart tighter.

**Adel**: "You think you can defeat me again? Pathetic! Your father couldn't defeat me, he sealed me away. You only defeated me because I wasn't at full strength"

Squall shook his head, he opened his eyes and stared right back at the sorceress. His cold blue eyes met the malevolent crimson stare from the sorceress.

**Adel**: "I admire your bravery mercenary, but it will get you nowhere. You will die here today, mark my words"

Adel's hand shot forwards. A rush of energy surged out of her fingertips and headed straight for the SeeD. Squall stood his ground, he didn't flinch, he didn't shy away, he just waited as the surge got closer and closer. In one quick movement, he angled his gunblade and sliced through it, cutting the projectile in half. He then moved forwards. Side-stepping another blast of energy, he rotated his body and used a spinning motion to drive his sword towards Adel. The Sorceress jumped backwards, narrowly missing the slice before lunging forwards with her bare hands. Like Tarbella had done at the ruins a few days earlier, Adel fought the gunblader with her bare hands. She parried and deflected his blows whilst using open-handed palm thrusts augmented with magical energy to strike back. At first glance, the two seemed evenly matched, neither was making much headway on the other but to Tarbella it was a different picture. The sorceress had finally regained her composure and stood watching. She held onto her pendant as she focused on the fight. She could see the real fight - Adel was pulling the strings of Squall, letting him think he stood a chance. Tarbella closed her eyes and concentrated

**Tarbella**: _(in squall's mind)_ "Squall - she's toying with you!"

Squall jumped backwards. He spun the gunblade round in his hand so it was down behind him before running at Adel with the tip of the blade behind him, trailing across the floor. Adel smiled and stood there with her arms open, like the corpse before, practically inviting Squall to try and take her out. He heard Tarbella's voice in his head, but his anger was in control. Ignoring his friend's warning, Squall sliced up the middle of the sorceress with a powerful upward swing and the sorceress disappeared into black smoke. He fell to his knees, lionheart fell down by his side. He gasped for air, he was worn out, but he knew he had to keep fighting.

**Tarbella**: SQUALL, LOOK OUT!

This time her voice wasn't in his head. The sorceress screamed her warning. Squall looked up and saw Adel in front of him. Standing over him with her hand aimed at his head like a gun, covered in a black aura.

**Adel**: "You should have listened to the weak witch SeeD!"

Adel released the blast of darkness at Squall. He was sent backwards into the wall before he slumped down in a heap on the floor. Tarbella was stunned. Adel had used a death spell on the SeeD but she didn't kill him, she had only knocked him out instead. Tarbella tried to work out why, but her thoughts were stopped when Adel's crimson eyes fixated on her

**Adel**: "Watch witch, you might learn something"

Tarbella shook with fear as Adel loomed over Squall. She held out her hand and spoke

**Adel**: "Mente dedere"

With those two words, a grey aura surrounded both Squall and Adel's bodies. A chain formed between the two of them, tethering them to each other. Adel looked over at Tarbella and smiled at her with evil intentions before the crimson in her eyes changed to blue - she had invaded Squall's mind and was trying to take control of him.

**Tarbella**: "Shit!"

**======SQUALL'S MIND=====**

It was dark. He couldn't see anything, he tried shouting but he couldn't hear anything. He was a prisoner in the darkness of his mind. He tried to move, but he couldn't. He was bound to the darkness by crimson chains. He heard a sadistic laugh - he knew what was coming next. Adel stepped out of the darkness and waved her hand. A circle of light surrounded them and briefly illuminated the area.

**Adel**: "Since this is your mind and you've been trying to keep me out of it, I have decided to take you to the parts which want to keep you out. You have a lot of darkness in you mercenary, it is just ITCHING to get out!"

Adel waved her hands, the crimson chains glowed an intense red and grew tighter around Squall's subconsciousness. He grimaced but refused to cry out in pain. He knew she was trying to break him down, all he had to do was resist. Shaking his head he spat down at Adel's feet in an act of defiance. He had been tortured, he had been mind-fucked by sorceresses before, he could survive this again.

**Squall**: "Get to hell"

Adel smiled. She clenched her fist making the chains constrict once more. Squall took a deep breath and bit down on his bottom lip. He closed his eyes and let his head hang back, trying to suffer the crushing pain.

**Adel**: "Child... I have been in hell. I have been cryogenically frozen in space, kept company by only my mind. I have been killed. Watched my very life fade away into nothingness only to be dragged back out of the brink of non-existence for no real reason... until now"

Adel waved her hand once again, this time the darkness went away, in its place was a very familiar place - it was the flower field where Squall and Rinoa made their promise to find each other when it was all over and time would start falling apart around them. Adel gestured to their right and before them stood Squall and Rinoa, making that very promise. Squall shook his head. He knew this was going to be distorted and warped by the sorceress, he had to remind himself that no matter what he saw, no matter what he felt, no matter what he heard or experienced, this would all be lies.

**Adel**: "Such a touching moment, a young naïve sorceress and her knight vowing to find each other in the vast expanse of time. I wish I could say it pains me to do this to you out of some form of compassion, but I never knew what that was to begin with..."

Adel licked her lips as her crimson eyes narrowed. She clicked her fingers and Rinoa's image faded away and was replaced with Ultimecia's own image.

**Adel**: "You see child, your sorceress, the one that you vowed to protect, is nothing in the greater picture. Even if you stop her from going insane with power and destroying an entire country... I recommend you don't - its fucking tremendous walking round waist deep in blood and corpses."

Squall snarled at the sorceress

**Squall**: "Fuck... You..."

**Adel**: "So crude, little boy"

Adel clapped her hands together. The chains burned hotter than before and the flower field turned black, the sky darkened. Ultimecia, in place of Rinoa smiled at Squall's subconscious form and walked over to join Adel.

**Ultimecia**: "Kursed SeeD!"

Squall shook his head. He knew this was all just mind games, designed to break his will and make him surrender himself with minimal resistance to Adel. He clenched his fists and pulled his arms up, trying to pull the chains from their invisible holdings.

**Adel**: "It's no use SeeD - the chain is your mind. You can never escape it, it has you forever."

Squall shook his head. He was sweating and starting to panic. Turning up the pressure more, Adel made the chains burn hotter and tighter, burning into his skin. Even though this was in his mind, he felt like he was about to burst into flames.

**=====REALITY=====**

Tarbella ran forwards towards Squall. He was writhing in pain on the floor, lying at the feet of Adel who had her eyes closed. She tried to touch him, but he was hot, like he was on fire. She looked at his arms - there were black chain impressions scorched into his arms - the mental torture was effecting his physical body too. Adel didn't want him to surrender, Adel wanted him dead. Trapped in an eternal nightmare from which there was no waking up, no escape. Building up her courage, Tarbella flicked her wrist out and launched an aero spell at Adel. It hit her directly but nothing happened. She didn't even flinch.

**Tarbella**: "Squall, please wake up! You have to wake up! You can't win, she will kill you in there... please Squall... Wake Up"

The sorceress was sobbing. She kneeled over him and placed her hands on his body. The fire in his mind made his skin red hot, she winced at the pain but she knew she had to be there for him in any way that she could. She looked at Adel and at the magical chain formed between her and Squall. She had to break it, but how? She glanced to his side and saw the gunblade. She picked it up with both hands, it was heavy and hard to wield, especially to a novice like herself. She shook her head, closed her eyes and with one blind swing, smashed the blade into the chain. The force of the impact sent her backwards, falling over whilst the sword fell to the floor. It didn't seem like it had worked at first, but then she noticed the cut it had made - she had damaged the link between them.

**Tarbella**: "Think... quick... do something..."

Tarbella held onto Squall's hand with one hand, and with her other she held her pendant. Closing her eyes, she focused every bit of her energy into Squall - the only way to save him was to get inside his mind and help him fight.

**=====SQUALL'S MIND=====**

Squall screamed in agony. He couldn't take much more of the torture. The chains were getting tighter and tighter and the burning was getting hotter with every second. Adel opened her right hand, a small red mist formed and swirled around in her hand before it adopted the form of a knife. It was about eight inches long and serrated on one side like a combat knife. She idly spun it round in her hands before she stopped. She waved her left hand and the chains moved from around his body to just around his arms and legs. They pulled tight, full of tension and stretching his body to its physical limits - drawing him out, leaving all of him vulnerable. Adel walked over to him and ran her left hand down his chest. She grabbed hold of his shirt in her fist and ripped it open, exposing his flesh. The impressions of the chain were burned into his skin.

**Adel**: "Cursed magic... such a beautiful thing wouldn't you agree?"

Adel raked her nails across his flesh, breaking the surface of his skin and drawing blood. She watched as the crimson liquid slowly dripped from the scratch and smiled. She leaned into him, placing her left arm behind him, grabbing tight hold of his back and pulling his body towards her. She pressed her lips against his wound and tasted his blood.

**Adel**: "Such sorrow, such pain, it is exquisite... Ultimecia, you should try this"

Motioning to the ghost of Ultimecia to come and join them. Adel collected some of the blood from Squall on her hand and offered her hand to the sorceress. The other sorceress opened her mouth as Adel placed her bloodied finger in it, wiping the blood all around her mouth and across her lips.

**Ultimecia**: "Pain..."

Adel laughed. She looked up at Squall who simply hung his head and tried to keep his eyes closed. He was at their mercy but he knew he could try his best to keep them shut out. He shook his head and spat at the pair once again. This was his mind and there was no way he would ever surrender it to them.

**Adel**: "Very well, I guess its time to make you suffer some more SeeD"

Adel stepped back, she spun the knife round and held it so the blade was pointed down, away from her body. She let out an ear-piercing scream and raised the knife and buried it into the SeeD's chest - right in the middle of his stomach. Sqaull screamed in pain. His whole body fell forwards before being violently jerked back by the chains which held him in place. He coughed, blood poured out of his mouth.

**Squall**: _(to himself)_ "Is this... what Death feels like?"

Adel pulled the knife from his stomach and licked the blood off it. Her pale white face was now coated in his blood.

**Adel**: "You can not win child. Even in your own mind where you are famed for being strong, you are still frail and weak. You are made of glass - you seem tough but the slightest touch and you shatter"

Adel spun the knife round, this time holding it in a more orthodox way. She brought it up to his stomach and this time dragged it across his flesh slowly, ripping his skin open and taking great delight in slowly torturing him.

**Adel**: "Surrender to me child of fate and you will feel no more pain"

Squall tried to speak, but he couldn't - he was losing consciousness in his own mind. It was like his own mind was shutting itself down. He coughed up more blood, he figured he didn't have much longer. He was trapped and this time he felt the full fury of a Sorceress's power. He at least felt thankful Adel was never this strong when they first faced off. He looked to his left, he could see the fading image of Rinoa. He smiled, she was the one thing which was worth fighting for, but even now that was useless. He tried to open his eyes again, but there was nothing, everything was turning black.

**Tarbella**: "No... I'm too late..."

Tarbella's light shone down on him like it did in their first encounter within his mind. The sheer brightness and purity of the light caused the ghost of Ultimecia to burn away like paper in a flame, it turned to ash before crumbling to the floor. Adel stepped back, the light burned her skin turning it a dark grey.

**Adel**: "So the witch has learned something?"

Tarbella dropped down, she stood in between Squall and Adel. Her whole body was coated with a pale green aura. She held both her hands out in front of her and focused on the sorceress in front of her.

**Adel**: "Ha! You dare to face me child?"

Tarbella clenched her fists. As she did the chains around Squall broke, sending his burned and broken body to the floor. Adel stepped back as the light around the sorceress and Squall grew bigger and bigger. The black scorched earth started to turn back into the vibrant green field of flowers which Adel had tried to destroy before.

**Tarbella**: "You may be powerful Adel, but hate can only do so much"

Stepping forwards, the sorceress raised her left hand, flicking her wrist she summoned a gust of wind which blown the knife out of Adel's hand. She then waved her right hand across her body, making the wind slash at Adel, cutting her skin in the process. She back-handed waved across Adel again, sending a gust of wind back at the sorceress, knocking her further and further away from Squall.

**Tarbella**: "You may be strong in the real world Adel, but in here, I am stronger than you can ever imagine me to be"

Adel tried to run forward but she couldn't. Tarbella's winds had trapped her in a vortex.

**Tarbella**: "You do realise that this cursed magic you have used will effect you too - If I wound you here, it will wound your physical form. Magic like this.. cuts both ways"

Tarbella clenched her first, the swirling vortex of wind closed in on Adel - it sliced at her like thousands of knives cutting at her all at once. Adel screamed but the noise of the wind and the sound of her flesh being torn apart drowned out the noise.

**Tarbella**: "Squall - believe in yourself. Stand tall Lion of Balamb Garden and roar. Banish this evil from your mind"

Squall pulled himself to his feet. Covered in blood and burns, he looked up and shouted. His battle cry carried such force it knocked Tarbella off her feet. As she fell to the floor, the winds trapping Adel subsided and before the bloodied sorceress could even react, the SeeD charged at her with the broken chains wrapped around his fists. He lunged at her and started to rain down blows on her, each one hitting deeper and harder than the last.

**Adel**: "NO, I WILL NOT DIE HERE... FUGAM"

Adel's presence in Squall's mind turned to red smoke as it slipped through his grasp and back into the surrounding darkness. With a violent jerk, the world around Squall in his subconscious shattered and the three of them were brought back to reality.

**=====REALITY=====**

Tarbella stood between Squall and Adel who had now staggered back away from the unconscious SeeD. He was a bloodied wreck, covered in burns, cuts and bruises but he was still alive somehow. His slow laboured breathing and faint pulse was all the motivation Tarbella needed to stand there over him with her golden wings out to their fullest. She might have been small, but in this stance, she was intimidating, even to Adel. She clenched her fists as the power of the wind surged through her veins and surrounded her. Adel opposite her had shaken off the shock of being defeated in the SeeD's mind and was now glowing crimson. The two sorceresses were about to face off. Tarbella knew she would probably be slaughtered by Adel, but for the sake of everyone's future, she had to believe in herself and save Squall.

**Tarbella**: _(inside Squall's head)_ "Squall - you are too important to die, you have to live. You promised to meet Angel at the orphanage, I promised to accompany you there."

Tarbella raised her right hand and released some of the energy from inside it. A tornado surged forwards towards Adel. The more powerful sorceress simply laughed and swiped a fiery claw through it, sending the wind in all directions. Adel then retaliated with a beam of pure red energy aimed directly at the Centran. Tarbella brought both hands up in front of her and formed a green barrier. The beam hit the barrier before being scattered in all directions. The reflect spell didn't work in its exact intended manner, but it was good enough to deflect the attack.

**Tarbella**: _(inside Squall's head)_ "I'm going to have to break that promise to you Squall... I have to leave you here. Wake up, flee, I will protect you this time... I won't be a burden to you anymore"

Tarbella jumped in the air, bringing her arms up across her chest, she flung them outwards, creating green shards of energy which flew at Adel like shurikens. They sliced across her skin, drawing blood and sticking in her. Adel simply smiled before stomping her foot on the floor. A pillar of fire erupted below Tarbella's airborne body, sending her into a free-fall, burning her wings and crashing her down into the floor.

**Tarbella**: _(inside Squall's head)_ "Please, get up... Get to Angel... Save yourself, find Rinoa..."

Adel walked forwards as Tarbella pulled herself up to her feet. She unleashed another blast of wind but it was futile, the spell cut the sorceress some more, but it didn't halt her advance. Before she knew it, Adel's hand had wrapped itself around her throat and pulled her up into the air. Tarbella struggled to breathe as she kicked and flailed at Adel, trying to break her grasp.

**Adel**: "You had some promise little witch, but it was nowhere near enough to stand up to me."

Tarbella looked over at Squall, he shown no signs of moving at all. She tried to reach out to him one last time, to encourage him to move but she couldn't. Adel had her blocked off and totally at her mercy.

**Adel**: "It's a shame to kill one so young, with so much promise... But I do what I must. You are like a fly, buzzing around where it is not wanted. I am the spider... and I eat flies like you"

Adel tightened her grip on Tarbella as she tried to summon another wind spell, but it was useless, Adel was choking the life out of her. She felt that at any given moment, her windpipe was about to snap and that would be it, she would be dead. Looking back to Squall once more she managed to re-establish their connection

_"Squall... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry.."_

Everything went black. Her legs stopped moving, her arms felt heavy and her eyes wouldn't open.

_"Am I dead? Is this it?"_

Flashes of the hate filled face of Adel flickered in the darkness. They grew darker and darker with each flicker. Her body got heavier and heavier, everything seemed to slow down.

_"Logus... Squall... Angel... I failed you all..."_

Her body dropped to the floor, she couldn't feel the pain of the landing, or any pain for that matter. All she could feel was the cold setting in, slowly working its way up her.

_"I'm so sorry"_

Darkness. Nothing but darkness and despair.

* * *

A/N2: The latin translates to "surrender your mind" (mente dedere). The second latin phrase translates to "escape" (fugam)

Since Adel is a powerful sorceress, like Ultimecia, it seems logical that she too can break people's mind and spirit, invade their subconsciousness and mentally pummel them into submission.

I hope you are enjoying the story so far. The next chapter is going to be good!


	17. Chapter 17 - Angel

_"A force of light an angel_  
_ Sent through time to destroy_  
_ Avenging the dark ones_  
_ Descending angelic force"_

_(Iced Earth - The Hunter)_

Adel watched as Tarbella's body slipped to the floor. The girl who was full of energy and life had provided a worthy challenge inside the mind of the child of fate, but in the flesh, her abilities were lacking. Still, she admired her for fighting till the very end. Adel might have been insane and malevolent but she had some small respect for people who actually tried to take her on head on. She watched as the girl's life force started to gradually fade away, the color draining from her skin, the gradual decrease of the twitching in her muscles. She would have made a fine host had Ultimecia somehow survived the events of compression but Ultimecia would not have taken her. The future sorceress had only wanted Adel due to her unrivaled physical strength. She was a modern-day Amazon with the power of the gods running through her veins. Adel knew she was special and the fact she was brought back to life to lead this new charge against time and fate, it spoke volumes.

**Adel**: "Sleep once more Centran witch!"

Adel kicked Tarbella's body out the way as she proceeded towards Squall. He was still out cold, struggling to breathe and keep a pulse. He was completely unaware of what had happened outside of his own mental prison. Tarbella may have saved his mind from further attack, but the damage Adel had done was enough to completely break Squall. He lay there a broken man, completely vulnerable to everything.

**Adel**: "The almighty SeeD of legend! How the mighty have fallen! I still fail to see how and why Ultimecia was so scared of you. You are almost as pathetic as your father"

Adel kicked Squall's lifeless body. It rolled over onto its back. She smiled at the damage she had inflicted on him - the burned chain impressions and slashes across his body from the cursed mind attack had worked perfectly. Why take him on in one on one combat where he may stand a slight chance when you can attack his mind and break him down? Ultimecia had broken the once mighty Sorceress Edea and managed to break Rinoa, but she could only seem to break the Sorceresses and those who had darkness in their minds and hearts, those who could actually serve her willingly if they chose to do so themselves. She had never tried to destroy someone who was so opposed to her in every way, and that is why she failed and lost to the pathetic mercenaries like the one lying on the floor in front of her. Adel kicked the body of Squall once more, there was no response.

**Adel**: "Well, that was short..."

Adel turned her back on the two bodies at her feet. She looked to the sky - it was just about to turn dawn. The sun was slowly creeping over the walls of the base which was a burning wreck. The stench of burning flesh and death hung in the air. To many people this was hell, to the "Tyrant of Esthar", this was paradise. She waved her hands and conjured a crude throne out of the rubble. She walked over to it and sat down, savoring the destruction that the SeeD, his sorceress and herself had caused. She looked up to the sky, it was still dark but the light was creeping in slowly. What she didn't know was that something else was headed her way along with the first light of the day.

_"There is still time, I have to get to them now!"_

An unknown woman was traveling through the sky. Her wings allowed her to soar gracefully through the breaking dawn. They were a brilliant white with a golden aura radiating from them. As the light of dawn caught her wings, they shone even brighter. Her hair was long and blonde, it fluttered in the wind freely, like a tail behind her. Her skin was pale, almost white and covered in runes which were a mixture of blue and gold. Her blue eyes scanned the ground. She could feel the presence of evil nearby and she could see destruction, but she couldn't find what she was looking for.

_"Tarbella... Speak to me... Where are you?"_

There was no response. Was she too late? Closing her eyes, the winged woman went into a nose dive, becoming more aerodynamic, she shot forwards towards the plume of smoke rising from the wasteland of the Centran continent. As she got closer she could feel the faint presence of magic and hope. There was still time, but it was running out fast. She had to act quickly. She didn't know what she was heading into, but there was no time to be adequately prepared. She held her arm out in front of her, summoning a ball of white energy before releasing it in the direction of the base. As it shot off into the distance, so did the woman.

Adel looked to the west. She could feel the presence of something but she wasn't sure what it was. A streak of white light shot across the sky, it stood out against the fading backdrop of night. The sorceress rose from her makeshift throne and readied herself. Bringing her arms up, she glowed crimson and her black wings spread out. The tyrant was ready to do battle again. She raised her left hand and released a few blasts of magic, the fireballs shot from her fingers and exploded in a pentagon shaped formation. The flames engulfed the white ball, but it still came through. It didn't slow down, it didn't lose any of its intensity. It just kept coming. Adel cursed, she fired more blasts of magic at it, but it would not stop.

**Adel**: "What is this power? I must have it!"

The white blast of magic crashed down into the floor at the entrance to the base, opposite where the fighting had taken place and where Adel stood. The explosion of light shot through the base like the wave of pressure from an explosion. Its pure magical energy coupled with a blinding light forced Adel to turn away, holding her hands up to shield her face. As the light and energy touched her skin, she cried out in pain. The burning sensation of the holy magic was like pouring salt on an open wound. It was pain like she had never felt before.

**Adel**: "BE GONE!"

Adel swiped her hands and released a blast of flare magic. The explosion from the high-level spell diverted the wave of holy energy into the sky. As the dust settled, the flying woman stood opposite Adel.

**Adel**: "Another fly"

The woman looked at the tyrant. She was five foot six, her long hair reached her waist. It was tied back in a low pony tail so it wouldn't get in the way during combat. She wore a white sleeveless robe which was floor length. It was tied around the center by a golden cord off which a short sword hung. In her right hand she held a seven-foot long golden staff in a combat stance - her left arm forward, fingers outstretched ready to cast any magic, the right arm with the staff firmly in her grasp, lined up against the inside of her arm behind her, ready to be swept forwards in attack or defense. Her pale skin, covered in blue and gold runes mirrored that of Adel and her crimson and black cursed tattoos and runes. She was the mirror image of the Tyrant - smaller, more feminine, pure, a force of good. She simply stood there, her blue eyes meeting the crimson eyes of Adel.

**?**: "Adel, Descendant of Hyne, Tyrant of Esthar, prepare to meet your end"

Adel laughed. How could this child in front of her stand a chance? She was getting stronger by the seconds. She adopted a fighting stance, her arms up, fingers curled like claws. Her body glowed red once more as she made the first move. She jumped forwards, bringing her right arm up above her head and slashed it down towards the smaller woman. She didn't move, she just stood there ready. Watching the sorceress make her attack, honing in with her slashing attack, Angel spun counter-clockwise, bringing her staff up so she stood with her right leg leading. She gripped it firmly in both hands and lashed out with it, smashing it into the claw of Adel, stopping her in her tracks. Pulling her staff away, she quickly rotated the staff in both her hands near its mid-section, stepping forwards with her left leg, twisting her body slightly and bringing it down in a powerful but graceful vertical striking motion. Adel jumped backwards, just out of reach of the staff. Her eyes widened as the tip of the staff smashed into the floor, creating a large crack. It didn't even look like the woman had put any force behind the attack.

**Adel**: "Such power in something so tiny"

Adel was shocked. She was facing someone far more powerful than the SeeD and the witch earlier. She conjured a simple long sword in her right hand and in her left she created a ball of fire. She brought the sword up and coated it in the fire - the blade was alive with the flames, it danced wildly and uncontrollably. Wasting no time, Adel stepped in, swinging her flaming sword, trying to cut through the staff. The smaller woman deflected her blows by simply holding her staff out at an angle every time the sorceress made a slash. The blade glanced off the side and went in the direction of the wood instead of through it. Each hit she was taking the energy out of, and simply frustrating the tyrant more and more. Working her foe into a frenzy, the staff user played it defensive, watching her opponent, learning her attack patterns and occasionally thrusting out in a counter-attacking motion to break her rhythm. Adel was getting more and more frustrated. She raised her left hand and released a flare spell. At this close a range, the explosion would hurt them both. The unstable orb flew directly at the woman who spun her staff round and met the orb with a strike. Forcing the spell to prematurely explode, both women were knocked backwards. They both recovered, but something else had happened.

**?**: "Surgite, et cinere fenix. Redde cecidit sociis"

From the midst of the flare spell's explosion, a golden ray of light shone. As the smoke cleared a radiant flame formed. It grew in size before finally forming a large ball above the battlefield. It exploded and from the ball came the fabled Phoenix. The resurrection guardian force. Its rainbow and gold coloured wings caught the light of the new day and the dazzling gleam from them forced the tyrant sorceress to back away, shielding her eyes. The phoenix cried out, its song filled the air and brought with it the feeling of vitality. It cried out once again and burst into flames. The explosion engulfed everything within its radius and the flames of rebirth settled down on Tarbella only. The woman with the staff noticed this. She watched as Adel's skin was scorched by the summoning and then looked to Squall. The only explanation could be that he was still alive. She smiled to herself for a moment before turning her focus back to Adel.

**?**: "Come tyrant"

Adel obliged her. This time she conjured up another sword, this time its blade was a pale blue. Frost formed along its length and crystals of Ice constantly fell from it. The sorceress now with both fire and ice in her hands charged once more. wielding the elements in her hands, she rained down blows. The fire licked at the smaller woman's skin as the blade deflected off the staff and shards of ice cut her as they were chipped away with every block she made. Adel bent her knees, she jumped up into the air and brought both swords up together - the fire and ice meeting in this way created a huge torrent of water which she then launched down at the staff user. She jumped in the air, gracefully somersaulting over the blast of pressurized water before landing down in a low crouched stance, She rose up, clutching her staff in both hands and holding it above her. She spun it round, creating a small column of wind before she spun herself round. Rotating her staff from above her head, down vertically and then upwards so it became horizontal again, she swung the staff in an upwards motion, launching the tornado she had created towards the airborne Adel. Adel swung her swords at the wind, but it was too much. It caught her square in the chest and flung her back first into a building. The force of the impact brought the building down on top of her. She wasn't defeated by the attack, but it had bought her a small amount of time.

**?**: "Tarbella... are you awake?"

Tarbella pulled herself up. She was bloodied and bruised but somehow she was alive. She looked at the woman with the staff and smiled.

**Tarbella**: "Angel... you.. came"

Tarbella cried tears of Joy. She rushed forwards towards Angel and threw her arms around her waist. Holding on to her tightly, she buried her head into Angel's chest and sobbed. Angel used her left hand to gently caress the back of Tarbella's head, running her fingers through her now dirty brown hair. She kissed her on her forehead and spoke to her in a soft and re-assuring voice.

**Angel**: "Tarbella, Phoenix brought you back, but it didn't bring the child of fate back... is he still alive?"

Tarbella wiped a tear from her eye. She let go of Angel and nodded.

**Tarbella**: "Adel fought him, in his mind... where he would be most vulnerable. She broke his spirit, she tortured him, crushed him, cut him, burned him, stabbed him. I drove her out, but then.. she..."

Tarbella's voice trailed off as she looked at the building where Adel had been buried under.

**Angel**: "It is ok, child. Phoenix brought you back. You must help the child of fate whilst I keep you both safe. Had I known what trials you two would face on this journey across our home, I would have come with you both. You have endured too much child. Save him in any way you can, I will protect us all now"

Tarbella nodded. She ran to Squall's side and placed both her hands on him.

**Tarbella**: _(to herself)_ "I won't let you die... I won't let anyone die again... I have to be strong"

Tarbella's hands glowed a pale blue. She cast a cure spell on Squall, trying to relieve some of the surface damage. She knew more powerful spells would be needed to heal his internal wounds but the wounds which mattered the most - the mental ones, she could not heal with any magic. All she could do was be there for him and hope that he would wake up.

Angel looked back towards the ruined building. She could sense magical energy coming from it. Bracing herself she adopted her combat stance once again and shouted

**Angel**: "Tarbella, watch out. She's going to attack again"

The building's ruins exploded. The debris flew through the air towards both Centran's. Without even flinching, Angel brought her staff up and swatted way the chunks of concrete. Each impact from her staff broke them into dust. Without missing a single step, she twirled her staff and danced her way through the shards of the wreckage, gracefully destroying everything the tyrant launched at her. Adel screamed with rage and brought her ice sword up. A blue aura formed round it before she sliced the air with it. Icicles formed and flew towards Angel at high speed. Effortlessly, the Staff user smashed them into nothingness with subtle moves from her staff.

**Angel**: "Adel, you can not defeat me. Destruction only leads to destruction, you know this"

**Adel**: "For light to exist, there has to be darkness, and I am that darkness!"

Adel spat back with venom in her words. Angel knew she was right, but she also knew Adel was powerless against her. For all her power and malevolence, she hadn't counted on what she had - companions, comrades, friends. Fighting to save her allies, Angel let herself be surrounded by a golden aura. She brought her staff up, spun it round and then slammed the base of it down into the floor. The impact created a shockwave which raced for Adel. underneath all the chaos and rubble on the floor, the tyrant didn't realise what was coming until it was too late. The ground shook below her before it violently exploded, sending her into the air. Following up the quake spell, Angel jumped forwards. Her wings brought her up high enough to allow for a full front flip. As her body rotated through the air, she brought her staff up and let it trail out behind her. She then emerged from the acrobatic maneuver and brought her staff down. It smashed into the mid-section of Adel, causing her to scream in pain. Her body fell to the floor. The impact from the blow created a small crater, at the bottom of which lay the defeated Sorceress. Angel stood over Adel. She held her left hand out which glowed white with energy. Aiming it at the tyrant she gazed into her eyes

**Angel**: "Its time for you to die tyrant"

Adel's twisted smile flashed across her face.

**Adel**: "Another day, witch"

As Angel fired off the point-blank holy spell, a flash of crimson light erupted from where they were stood. A crimson mist snaked its way in the air, narrowly evading the blast of the spell before it vanished into the sky. Angel swore to herself. She wasn't ruthless enough, but she had at least bought her and her friends enough time to recover and escape the area. Angel ran her fingers down the staff she held and it shrank down from seven feet to two feet. She tucked it into her belt and without even hesitating, ran to the side of Tarbella and Squall. She knelt beside them both and placed her hands on Squall's head

**Tarbella**: His physical wounds are healing, but his mental wounds... they are too serious. We need to get inside his mind and restore it, piece by piece.

Angel shook her head

**Angel**: "No, he has to do it himself. If we do it, he won't be the same as who he was before his mind was destroyed. I will get us to the orphanage. Once there, we can try and help him recover."

Tarbella nodded. She held onto Squall and with her other hand she held Angel's hand. She closed her eyes took a deep breath. Angel started to glow a pale green. The light spread from her to envelope Squall and Tarbella. She looked to the sky and gestured with her free hand before placing it on the ground in front of her. A sigil appeared beneath the three of them as she spoke an incantation.

**Angel**: "Spiritus ubi vult ire ad nos"

A flash of green light surrounded them. Time and space stopped flowing. The air around them was still, every molecule outside of the green aura around them was frozen, compressed into nothingness. Tarbella looked around at the expanse of nothingness. Was this time compression she wondered. She didn't want to speak in-case it broke the focus of what Angel was trying to do. She watched as the world around them started to form again, the clouds, the sky, birds, everything was taking shape and slowly starting to move. Tarbella gasped as she felt the rush of gravity pull at them. Time started to speed up and it hit them all at once like a wave of pure energy. Tarbella fell forwards as the three bodies landed on the floor. She gasped for breath several times before holding her stomach. She felt nauseous. Angel stood up and offered her hand to the girl.

**Angel**: "Sorry, being dragged through time and space in an instant can sometimes make you nauseous if you haven't experienced it before."

Tarbella took the woman's hand and pulled herself up. She dusted herself down and was about to speak before a twinge in her stomach. She covered her mouth, turned away from them and threw up. As she retched, Angel rubbed her back.

**Angel**: "Its only natural, its called re-compression sickness. What you experienced was a very intense form of time compression. We cut through time and space to arrive here, but the cost it places on us is mainly physical exhaustion - you will feel drained now for 2-3 days. I am used to it, it no longer effects me, but it does mean it takes me longer and longer to 'recharge' after each time I travel like that"

Tarbella looked up and then over at Squall

**Tarbella**: "What about him? Will he be?"

**Angel**: "Squall has been in time compression before. No one can exactly say how long it was, but his body and that of his friends are immune to the effects of the sickness. He will be fine when he recovers himself"

Tarbella nodded. She walked over to Squall's body and with Angel helping her, they both picked him up, draping his arms across their shoulders, the two women carried his unresponsive body towards the stone building at the edge of the world. They had made it to the orphanage.

**Tarbella**: _(said inside Squall's mind)_ "Squall, we made it... We're at the orphanage"

* * *

A/N: Say hello to Angel everyone. If you want a better idea of what she looks like, think of Quistis, but with longer wavy hair, worn down all the time and wearing the traditional robe worn by many portrayals of Greek goddesses and angels and the like.

we finally made it to the orphanage. The next few chapters will finally begin to shed some light on what has happened prior to the past week in the story (chapter 1-17)

Lyrics are courtesy of Iced Earth's "The hunter" from the dark saga album. All rights remain with the band

Translations:  
1 - "Surgite, et cinere fenix. Redde cecidit sociis" = rise from the ashes phoenix, bring back our fallen allies  
2 - "Spiritus ubi vult ire ad nos" - spirits, take us where we wish to go

I also don't know why but now I can't leave many gaps between the end of the chapter and the story, it must be a coding issue or something changed in the site possibly. Either way, everything underneath the break line is out of story, post script etc.

Once again, I hope you are enjoying the story


	18. Chapter 18 - Picking up the pieces

Squall lay there on the floor. Trembling, bleeding, his entire body in agony. It had been a long time since he had been beaten like that and it was a pain he wished he could never experience again. His entire body ached from the constricting chains crushing at him, and then the burning chains branding him. His stomach was in agony with the slashing and stabbing from Adel. He was thankful that when he initially faced off with Adel she wasn't at full strength. She had managed to control his actions in battle, subdue him, then render him defenseless and helpless all in the space of mere minutes. He often wondered how Sorceresses got into positions of power and what they did to get there, and this was it - they broke people's spirits, destroyed whoever opposed them. As he lay there, trying to compose himself, footsteps echoed all around him. He tried to push himself up to a seated position but he couldn't, the pain in his stomach was too much. He reached down to touch the wound, it was tender and sticky but that was it. He felt around and couldn't feel anything else - no gaping holes, no missing flesh. He pulled his sleeve back and looked at his arm - the chain marks were still there, burned into his skin, but they were fading.

_"What the hell is going on?"_

Squall was confused. He didn't understand why his body was healing so quick given the torture he was put through. Then it dawned on him - Tarbella had came to his rescue. He remembered the young sorceress standing between him and Adel, fighting her off with her magic and her iron will. Tarbella was pretty powerful and intimidating when she wanted to be, for a moment during the battle, the tortured SeeD didn't know which was scarier - the tyrant Adel with her cruel cursed magic, or Tarbella, the Centran who turned his mind into a battlefield, who destroyed the ghost of Ultimecia in his mind with just a ray of light. Had Tarbella healed him before she left his mind? He managed to prop himself up somehow despite the pain and looked around. As far as he could see was just darkness.

_"Where am I?"_

The footsteps echoed once again. The SeeD looked to his left, then to his right, trying to pinpoint the direction they came from. Shaking his head, he pushed down against the floor and pulled himself into a kneeling position. He clutched at his stomach once again expecting it to be tender, but it wasn't - the wounds were healing. He looked at his arms - the burns were fading. Someone or something was healing him, but how? There wasn't anyone around him.

_"You haven't worked it out yet child?"_

A voice from behind him called out. Squall pushed himself back and up onto his feet and turned to face the voice. Out of the shadows walked a female figure. She wore a long red, skin-tight dress with a plunging neckline leaving nothing to the imagination. Her black wings folded in behind her rested on the trails of her dress which stretched out for two or three feet behind her. Her golden headpiece drew focus to her hair, pulled through it and twisted and styled to resemble horns. Squall stepped back in fear. He reached around for his gunblade.

**Ultimecia**: "Your weapon isn't here SeeD"

Squall's eyes met Ultimecia's. Her purple eyes stared right through him, chilling him to his very core. As he stepped backwards, trying to keep space between them, she vanished. Squall tried to look for her but flinched when her hand appeared on his shoulder. She stood behind him, her left hand on his left shoulder, her right hand around his waist, running her hands across his stomach. She slowly slid her hand up his chest, along his neck and then across his mouth, leaving only a finger there, resting on his lips, mockingly silencing him.

**Ultimecia**: "We're inside your mind SeeD. You never woke up. For all we know, you could be dead. Stuck in your own conciousness with me for all eternity"

Squall pushed back against Ultimecia, she released her hold on him. He stepped forwards, spinning out and round into a combat ready stance.

**Squall**: "But Tarbella burned you into ash..."

**Ultimecia**: "Yes... yes she did, but we're in your mind. You brought me back"

**Squall**: "Why? I've wished I never had to remember you"

Ultimecia laughed. She brought her hands together in front of her chest and rubbed them in a child-like manner.

**Ultimecia**: "You forget child - I am what defined you. Without me, you are nothing. Just another troubled child who could swing a gunblade and kill a few people. If it wasn't for me, no one would know the name Squall Leonhart. You'd have no pretty little Galbadian bitch for a mistress nor a pretty little resurrected Centran whore tending to your wounds."

**Squall**: "LIES!"

**Ultimecia**: "Is it really? Then tell me, why is it only the military are after you? Surely your precious SeeD and companions and whores should be out looking? Why can't you remember two years of your life?"

Squall shook his head. Raising his hands to his ears, he covered them, trying not to listen but the words cut through anyway and etched themselves into his brain.

**Ultimecia**: "You need me as much as I need you. We are two sides of a coin - the legendary SeeD and the legendary sorceress. I can't exist without you, you can't exist without me."

Ultimecia offered Squall her left hand. With her right she waved it, dispelling the darkness and creating a landscape - it was Centra. He could see the flower field, the orphanage and a distant plume of smoke across the sea.

**Ultimecia**: "I would imagine this is where you want to be - after all, it is where everything started. Take my hand Squall, Let me be your guide."

Squall stood there, he looked at the scene in front of him and the sorceress offering him her hand and then looked around him - everything else was darkness. His mind was empty. He looked for an alternate option but she cut off his thoughts once more

**Ultimecia**: "Squall, you have two choices - come with me, into your mind, find yourself again... or stay alone, in the darkness, left by everyone... Just like when Elloene left you... Forever alone"

Squall reluctantly took her hand

**=====REALITY=====**

_"He's still not waking up!"_

Tarbella held onto Squall's hand tightly in both of hers. They were inside the Orphanage. Squall lay unconscious on the bed, wearing only his pants. The wounds from his recent battles and those from the cursed magical assault of Adel were starting to heal. The slices to his stomach remained as scars and only some of the chain impressions remained burned into his skin. She wanted to jump into his mind, to help him find himself but she knew that wasn't her place to do so. Only one person could help Squall now, and that would be himself. Across the room, Angel stood there, looking out the window. Her eyes closed, deep in thought.

**Tarbella**: "Angel, is there something we can do to help him?"

Angel turned round. Her calm appearance reassured the distraught Tarbella but inside she too was a wreck. They spent so long trying to find Squall only for him to slip through their hands at this crucial time.

**Angel**: "Trust in him."

Tarbella wiped a tear from her eye. She was an emotional person who always wore her heart on her sleeve. She barely knew the SeeD but she cared for him like he was her lover or a family member. Tending to his wounds, holding one sided conversations with him. She even gave her life trying to protect him a day ago. Angel walked over to her, placing her hands on her shoulders, she gently rubbed them.

**Angel**: "Please, get some sleep. I will watch him whilst you rest. Tomorrow one of us will have to leave to find the others."

Tarbella turned round to face Angel.

**Tarbella**: "Others?!"

**Angel**: "The rest of the Liberi Fatali. We need them all"

Tarbella stood up. She looked at Squall and then back to Angel

**Tarbella**: "the SeeDs? The sorceress, the fallen knight, the family?"

Angel nodded

**Angel**: "We need everyone if we are to get through this chaos."

Tarbella nodded before leaving the room. As the door closed, Angel sat down beside squall's sleeping form and placed her hand on his forehead. Her eyes went white as they both were surrounded by a pale white aura.

**Angel**: "Ostendite mihi quid videritis"

**=====SQUALL'S MIND=====**

Squall and Ultimecia walked through the Centran landscape. They stopped in the flower field, a place which had many memories for Squall and a strong emotional attachment. Squall looked around, taking in the view, the sea air and the scent of the flowers, he smiled.

**Ultimecia**: "This is the logical place to start - it is where you made a promise which was fulfiled by the person you promised. You never made it back here of your own will, you were brought back by her... why?"

Squall looked, in front of him he could see Rinoa running round frantically looking for him as time and space shattered around them. She cried out his name as she searched. Squall shouted back but nothing. He tried to shout again before Ultimecia stopped him

**Ultimecia**: "Squall, this is just a memory, she can't hear you"

Squall watched as Rinoa suddenly stopped. She used her magical powers to find Squall's lifeless body in the great white emptiness before she brought him back to life and returned him to their own time.

**Squall**: "I.. I don't know why I couldn't find her"

Ultimecia bushed her hand across his cheek. She smiled as she looked into his blue eyes.

**Ultimecia**: "You couldn't or didn't want to find her?"

Squall tried to avoid her eyes but he couldn't. Her purple eyes were magnetic, drawing him into them. They stood out against her pale white skin and the purple tattoos on her head. This was the first time he had properly looked at Ultimecia as a person, and he was awestruck by how beautiful she was. He found himself wondering if this was how Seifer had felt about her, why he chose to blindly follow her?

**Squall**: "I couldn't find her because I couldn't find myself... How was I meant to find someone in my present if all I wanted to do was cling to my past?"

Ultimecia smiled, she moved closer to Squall's face, they were only centimeters apart. This made Squall visibly uncomfortable. He squirmed

**Ultimecia**: "Clever boy! You got one right!"

Ultimecia backed off, laughing deviously as she left the visibly shaken Squall alone with his thoughts for a moment. He looked at her as she walked past the scene playing out before him - of Rinoa bringing him back to life and smiled.

**Squall**: "Why are you in my mind? You're..."

**Ultimecia**: "Dead? Yes, yes I am. I will exist in the future though, and you will come and kill me. It has been foretold. I will die by your hand. No matter how far back I go, even if I tried to kill your parents, I would fail and you would still come and kill me."

**Squall**: "So why are you in my mind then?"

**Ultimecia**: "Destiny? Fate? By the power of Hyne? Hard to say really. Like I said before, I am just as much a part of you, as you are a part of me. We are trapped in an endless cycle child. Did I create you or did you create me?"

Squall shook his head. He turned around and sighed

**Squall**: "This is so fucking confusing"

**Ultimecia**: "tell me about it"

The sorceress was stood right in front of him, her face pressed right against his once again. She laughed as Squall jumped backwards in shock.

**Ultimecia**: "Look at it this way, if part of me is alive inside you, that must mean part of you is alive inside me, and tormenting me in much the same way as I am tormenting you..."

Squall shook his head.

**Ultimecia**: "Actually, he'd probably be crying in the corner saying how alone he is..."

Squall lashed out. He tried to punch the sorceress but she simply vanished and appeared behind him again. This time she was too quick for him. She cupped her left hand around his neck and gripped his right arm in her right hand. She forcibly twisted him around and pulled his body right against hers.

**Ultimecia**: "Stop being so hostile Squall. I am only here because you want me here. This is your subconscious after all. You could have had anyone - Rinoa, Quistis, Your mother, Matron... hell, even that Centran witch who has the hots for you... But instead you picked me."

She was right. Squall had a number of people to pick from but it was Ultimecia who he conjured from the depths of his mind.

**Ultimecia**: "Why did you pick me Squall?"

Squall wanted to answer but he couldn't. He didn't know how to. It made no sense to him, why he would pick his mortal enemy. It would have made more sense for Seifer to be present. At least his straight to the point insulting nature would get the answers out of the SeeD. He looked up and saw Ultimecia waiting for an answer. He knew she wasn't going to stop taunting him till he satisfied her, but why did he have to satisfy her? It was his mind, he should be in control of it.

**Squall**: "Why should I tell you my reasons?"

Ultimecia laughed. She playfully punched Squall on the arm

**Ultimecia**: "Point well made SeeD."

As the scene started to change, moving to the next one, a voice spoke inside the subconsciousness of Squall. Everything in his mind came to a standstill, like a stop spell had been cast.

**Angel**: "Squall - It is I, Angel. You are safe, but you have to find your own way out. Adel destroyed your mind when you fought with her. Myself and Tarbella have tried what we could to save your physical self, but only you can save your mind. Be strong and find your spirit Squall. We will be waiting for you, we all will"

Squall wanted to reply but he couldn't. The words from Angel provided a small comfort but that comfort was destroyed as his mind started to move again. The flower field around them faded and was replaced with a grand ballroom. People were dancing but their faces were blurred. The only clear images he could see were his friends - Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, Zell, Xu, Nida and Rinoa. He walked among the people, he knew they couldn't see him. They carried on like they did on that night.

**Ultimecia**: "So this was the big party you threw in celebration of defeating me?"

Squall turned to Ultimecia. She was stood on the balcony in place of Rinoa.

**Ultimecia**: "So romantic, the moonlight, a shooting star, the ocean, everyone around... Now I see why you made your propper move here. It is picture perfect"

Ultimecia vanished and was replaced with the image of Rinoa and Squall kissing under the moonlight as the shooting star flew past.

**Squall**: "Why are you showing me this?"

**Ultimecia**: "Why are you wanting me to show you this?"

Squall shook his head

**Squall**: "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

Ultimecia drifted across the floor towards him. She took him by the arm and led him to the dance floor.

**Ultimecia**: "Why yes... Yes I am.

Squall tried to resist but he couldn't. His body followed every step Ultimecia made, waltzing with her in a similar way to the night of his SeeD graduation where he danced with Rinoa. She gracefully glided along the dance floor. Squall hated to admit it, but as a person, Ultimecia was beautiful.

**Squall**: "So, why am I seeing this?"

Ultimecia didn't answer, instead she leaned into him, cupping his head in her left hand and grabbing his waist with her right hand. She pulled his body right up against his and gazed into his eyes once more. She pulled his head closer to her face and let her lips rest centimeters from his. He could feel her breath on his lips, it was warm, comforting. He wanted to pull away but he couldn't. He closed his eyes and exhaled. Before he could even open his eyes, the sorceress pressed her lips against his. He wanted to resist but he couldn't. He surrendered himself completely to her advances. It felt like an eternity as the two enemies were locked in a deep passionate kiss. Eventually the sorceress broke away from the kiss and pushed Squall back a little, creating some space between them

**Ultimecia**: "I had to do something to break the tension. Its been killing me! Seriously, now I see what all the women love about you - the strong, silent loner who is hard to get... and when you get him... Hyne!"

Ultimecia laughed as Squall pushed her off him. He wanted to feel disgusted with himself but he didn't. He didn't feel disgusted, he didn't feel aroused, he felt nothing.

**Squall**: "I don't feel... anything.."

Ultimecia slowly clapped the SeeD.

**Ultimecia**: "Thats because you did the one thing you can't seem to do - surrendered yourself. You are an instrument of fate, and at times, you will be forced to do things which fate demands of you whether you like it or not. You can either recognise those times and act accordingly, letting fate take you with no fuss... Or you can do what you have done - go down in a blaze of glory, kicking and screaming, hurting yourself and everyone else around you"

The ballroom vanished from behind them. They now found themselves in FH - standing outside a crime scene.

**Squall**: "Is this..."

Ultimecia said nothing - she simply pointed at the body bag being wheeled out of the building with a grieving husband along side it.

**Squall**: "Flo?"

**Ultimecia**: "She was fated to die, but not in the way she did. Something broke the normal order. Like how I broke the normal order with sending myself backwards through time. It changed your present and future, but not my past. Flo was meant to die when FH was sank into the Ocean during a great battle. Instead she now lies dead with the blame initially placed on you"

Squall shook his head. It made no sense, nothing made sense anymore

**Ultimecia**: "By the way, have you seen her arm?"

Ultimecia unzipped the bodybag, her arm fell out, and crudely carved into it was the word "Angel"

**Ultimecia**: "Isn't that the name of Tarbella's friend?"

Squall collapsed. Even inside his own mind he was prone to blacking out it seemed.

**=====REALITY=====**

Angel released her hold on Squall. She cursed and headed towards the window. Looking out of it, watching the waves she spoke to the unconcious Squall.

**Angel**: "I don't know why this happened, any of it. All I have been able to discover is that something came out of time compression, something which was meant to stay there. As an instrument of Hyne, I was brought back along with some of the Centran people. For the past two years I have searched the world for the Centrans and for answers. All I seem to find is destruction wherever I find myself. You are not the only one being hunted Leonhart..."

Angel sighed. She placed both her hands on the window frame and shook her head

**Angel**: "I too have things looking for me, things which you seem to have met already. The Red Giant, Adel... malevolent entities which have been brought back from the dead or pulled through time to lure me out. If you find your answers, maybe I will find mine too..."

**=====SQUALL'S MIND=====**

Squall came to, standing over him was Ultimecia.

**Ultimecia**: "I know I'm breathtaking, but you're meant to collapse right after I put the moves on you, not fifteen minutes later"

Squall pulled himself to his feet, they were still in FH but this time it was at the train station, the same one where he met Laguna, the place where the memories ended.

**Squall**: "Why are we here?"

**Ultimecia**: "Do I have to tell you everything or did you not pay attention during your last lesson? Is that it? Do I have to fuck you this time to make you learn something... Because I will happily oblige you"

Squall ignored the Sorceress trying to seduce him again

**Ultimecia**: "Now I know how Rinoa felt. All those moves, all those hints and it took you two months to ask her to be your woman? You really are a master at playing hard to get... I love a challenge"

Ultimecia moved towards Squall once again. He knew she was taunting him and he also knew she was there because he for some reason had chosen her to be there.

**Squall**: "No. I think I worked it out..."

Squall turned his back on the sorceress. He walked towards the edge of the bridge and looked at the ocean. Ultimecia appeared along side him.

**Ultimecia**: "So, you worked out jumping off a bridge is why I am showing you this?"

Squall shook his head. He placed his arm on her lower back

**Squall**: "Throwing you off a bridge is why I am here."

Squall shoved the sorceress in the lower back. Her body toppled over the edge, down into the ocean below them. He looked around and stood behind him was the soaking wet sorceress.

**Ultimecia**: "Funny... very fucking funny"

**Squall**: "I thought it was... And no, the reason why you are showing me all this is evident - I have to find myself in this mess. Something happened which made me lose two years of my life. I sure as hell won't let it escape from me anymore"

Ultimecia smirked. She held her hands up and the scene changed from FH back to the dark expanse of his mind. She gracefully walked away from him towards the darkness.

**Ultimecia**: "Well done SeeD! Don't think that our little game is far from over though. I will return for you"

**Squall**: "And I will be prepared next time"

Ultimecia turned her back on him. She waved her hand in the air as if to bid him farewell before the darkness took her once again. Squall looked around, the black was starting to fade away, getting gradually brighter. He looked up above him and saw a solitary light which started off small, and kept getting bigger with every passing second. He held his hand up towards it, and a female's hand reached down and took it.

**=====REALITY=====**

Squall violently jerked forwards from the bed. He was sweating and confused. He struggled for breath before pinching himself to see if he was still trapped in his mind. Realising that he actually was alive, he looked over to the window.

**Angel**: "Hello Squall"

* * *

A/N: This was fun to write. Since Ultimecia is always portrayed as an evil power crazy witch (which she is), I thought I'd give her a more human side in Squall's mind whilst still retaining her evil/cruel personality (the sexual aggresive taunting and mind games).

Translation: Ostendite mihi quid videritis - show me what you see


	19. Chapter 19 - Answers

_"Hello Squall"_

The words brought him to his senses. It took him a few moments to adjust to where he was. His eyes scanned the bare room - the grey stone walls, the plain oak furniture, the small drawings carved into the stone with childish spelling and annotations. This place was familiar to Squall, something he had craved over the past few days. He looked to the window and saw the woman there. Her long flowing blonde hair tied back in a low pony tail rested between the wings on her back. Her white robe was slightly dirtied from combat and tending to wounds. Her gold and blue tattoo's seemed to shine in the light. He didn't even need to ask who she was, he instinctively knew.

**Squall**: "Angel..."

Angel turned round to face him. It stunned him how much she looked like Quistis. Was this another trick like the one Tarbella had used on him to get his trust and attention? He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, trying to focus clearly. He looked around the room once more and it dawned on him where he was.

**Squall**: "The Orphanage?"

Angel nodded. She moved towards Squall and sat down on the stool next to his bed. She reached down and picked up a glass and a bottle of water. She poured a glass and handed it to Squall. He took it and downed half of it in one go. The taste was so refreshing, better than anything he had over the past few days anyway. Putting the glass on the table beside him, Squall turned himself so his legs were hanging over the edge of the bed. Sitting up, next to Angel, he looked at her. He couldn't fathom how someone would commit murder in her name. She seemed so pure and good. Someone who would protect life rather than demand it taken for her. He looked at his arms, there were fresh scars but they seemed to be healing. He noticed burns coiled around his wrists, they looked like chains. He wondered what they were at first, but then the memory of Adel flashed before his eyes. He instinctively placed his hand over the fading burns, trying to comfort himself.

**Angel**: "Don't worry, they will fade soon. Cursed magic marks like that only stay if you let them"

Squall looked in the mirror, he could see the scars on his chest and stomach fading. It was still tender for him to touch and it hurt when he moved, but the fact he was recovering was good. Added to the fact he managed to sleep in a bed for the night, his circumstances were certainly improving.

**Squall**: "What happened? I remember fighting with Adel, and then she was torturing me with Ultimecia, then I was alone... and then Ultimecia came again... and now I'm here?"

**Angel**: "Adel almost killed you. She hit you with a death spell, but only put enough force in it to incapacitate you. She then invaded your mind and as you remember - tortured you."

Squall shook his head, he wished it was all just a dream.

**Angel**: "Tarbella saved you, but before she could finish Adel off, she got away. Tarbella pursued her, and was killed by Adel trying to protect you"

Squall banged his hand on the mattress and cursed.

**Squall**: "Why did she have to die? She'd been given a second chance..."

Angel noted the man's frustration. It was one of genuine remorse and seeking blame. He really did feel like Tarbella's death was all on him. The compassion she saw in him was genuine, he really was the right one to pick.

**Angel**: "Tarbella chose to protect you. She made the ultimate sacrifice, her life for yours"

**Squall**: "So how did I end up here then if I've been trapped in my head?"

**Angel**: "I found you both. I fought off Adel and summoned the phoenix. He was meant to bring you both back, but he only brought Tarbella back. That was because you weren't dead."

A wave of relief came across the SeeD's face - Tarbella was still alive. He was mad as hell at her for being so reckless, but he could not hide his relief at the news.

**Squall**: "Where is she?"

**Angel**: "Sleeping. As soon as she came back, the first thing she did was focus all her attention on you. She worn herself out healing your wounds, talking to you, trying to get through to your subconsciousness. She wanted to go into your mind and help you pick up the pieces"

Squall looked at the floor. He barely knew the woman, but she had given her life to protect him and worked herself into exhaustion to save him. He had to repay her somehow.

**Angel**: "Don't worry Squall, she is fine. Let her sleep, you can thank her later"

**Squall**: "I will... I have questions to ask"

Angel nodded. She stood up and walked across the room to the chest of drawers against the wall. Opening it up, she pulled out a plain white t-shirt and threw it to Squall.

**Angel**: "get dressed. First we eat, then we talk. I have to tell Tarbella some of the information you need to know, so we will all talk together"

Angel left the room. As Squall got himself ready he tried to work out what he would ask. Why did he lose two years of his life? Where were his friends and were they ok? Was Rinoa still alive? Had she gone mad like other sorceresses? What did Ultimecia mean by they were a part of each other and that they were two sides of the same coin? As he tried to think of more, the door flew open. Before he could even react, he found himself the victim of a bear hug.

**Tarbella**: "YOU'RE AWAKE!"

The Centran clung onto him tightly and refused to let go. She buried her face into his shoulder and pressed her hands firmly into his back, running them up and down his spine. Squall could feel the tears from her face gently wetting his skin. He finally returned the hug - he put his arms around her and gently rubbed her back, trying to re-assure her. Tarbella moved her face from his shoulder and looked into his eyes. her brown eyes were slightly red and puffy due to the crying, but he could see the joy and care in them. She moved her face closer to his and kissed him on the cheek before resting her head on his shoulder again.

**Tarbella**: "I.. I thought I'd lost you.. It was horrible. You were just lying there on the floor, you didn't move, you were barely breathing, when phoenix couldn't save you we were relieved at first as we knew you were alive, but..."

Squall kissed her on the forehead. He didn't know why he did, it just felt like the natural thing to do. He pulled her closer into him, hugging her more before finally speaking

**Squall**: "Thank you"

**Tarbella**: "Why?"

**Squall**: "You protected me with your life and watched over me"

**Tarbella**: "I just did what you would do for me Squall, we're a team now. We have to have each others backs. We can't go it alone anymore."

Squall nodded.

**Tarbella**: "Come, Angel wants to talk to us. I'll meet you in the kitchen"

Squall got dressed. He wore a plain white t-shirt and a pair of black jeans, his leathers had been ruined by the combat and the missing two years. He felt naked without them but he re-assured himself he could find another jacket and pants combo. He looked at Lionheart, it was covered in a thick layer of grime and blood and dirt. It would take a full day to clean it off, something he would have to do before he set off anywhere. He finished his glass of water and looked in the mirror. For a moment he thought he saw Ultimecia standing there alongside him. He blinked several times and the image was gone. That was something he definitely needed to ask about - why was the sorceress haunting his mind?

Squall left the bedroom and headed down the hallway. The orphanage was still in near perfect condition since his last visit, 2 years ago, just before the battle at East Academy Station. He wondered if Edea still lived here, or had she went into hiding again after what happened with FH? He walked down the hall and looked in the rooms, he remembered running round them as a child, the fighting with Seifer, missing Elloene when she left... It was hard for him to be here without the others, something he hoped they could rectify. As he entered the kitchen, Angel had prepared a small breakfast for them all - toast and fruit. Wasting no time, Squall ate his fill, he hadn't eaten fresh food for what seemed like an eternity. He smiled as he enjoyed the fresh, crisp taste of the apple. Tarbella looked across the table at him and smiled

**Tarbella**: "Much Hunger?"

Squall ignored her as he finished his food.

**Angel**: "wow"

**Squall**: "Sorry, couldn't help it... I haven't eaten anything like this in what seems like forever"

**Angel**: "Don't worry, its ok. I need your full attention now anyway."

Squall took a sip from his water and looked at her. Tarbella turned her attention to Angel too.

**Angel**: "Six years ago, you defeated Ultimecia in time compression correct?"

Squall nodded

**Angel**: "When the compression decompressed, all of space and time still existed as one single moment briefly, however unlike during the compression event where it existed at the same time, but separate from each other, time was allowed to flow freely for a brief period during the breakdown of the spell. This meant that things from the past and the future got caught up in your present. It took them some time to manifest, but they did eventually."

**Squall**: "What kind of things?"

Angel turned away, she looked out the kitchen window at the ocean.

**Angel**: "An ancient evil - Chaos"

Tarbella looked shocked.

**Tarbella**: "I thought Chaos was defeated by Hyne and sealed in the moon?"

**Angel**: "He was, but the last lunar cry, the one six years ago which flooded the continent of Esthar with monsters, the seal on his tomb was broken. The effects of time compression must have allowed him to break free and return to Earth."

Squall looked at Angel who stared directly at him.

**Angel**: "Chaos was a warrior as well as a powerful mage. He rivaled Hyne in strength and ability. The difference between the two men though, was the fact Hyne had faith in others, Chaos sought to act on his own"

**Tarbella**: "So because Chaos didn't have support, just himself, he was defeated by many?"

**Squall**: "But the texts say it was a one on one duel.."

Angel: "It was, but because Hyne had the will of the people behind him, he used their love and support to help him overcome chaos and defeat him. He might have fought one on one, but it was more like ten thousand on one. Hyne proved that one man could not conquer humanity as a whole and time and time again over the years this fact has proven true - the tyrant sorceresses have all been defeated by a collective, not a loner"

**Squall**: "So you're saying Chaos broke free, and is now roaming round Earth, building up support?"

Angel nodded

**Tarbella**: "And he's been here six years? why hasn't he acted yet?"

Squall didn't need to hear the answer, he instinctively knew it already. In his mind he could hear Ultimecia repeating her words to him - find yourself, surrender yourself to fate.

**Squall**: "Because he has been waiting for a specific event..."

Angel looked surprised. How would Squall have known that?

**Angel**: "Which is?"

**Squall**: "I don't know, but after the lovely evening I had with Ultimecia tormenting me in my sleep, I would hazard a guess at it is fate related and 'we' - the children of fate, are in the middle of it"

**Tarbella**: "You don't ever seem to catch a break do you?"

**Squall**: "Like I said to you a few days ago, I have done this for too fucking long"

Angel sat down at the table with the pair of them.

**Angel**: "Squall, you have questions correct? Please, ask. I will try to answer them as best as I can"

Squall tried to run through the list he had drawn up, but when he was placed on the spot he just couldn't figure out what to ask first. Tarbella's voice cut him off

**Tarbella**: "Where are his friends?"

Angel looked at the girl and then to Squall who nodded, as if to say 'Yeah, that one'.

**Angel**: "After the events in FH and Esthar, Garden distanced itself from you. Realising it had a double agent in its midst, it dispatched its top operatives under the cover of darkness - Xu, Selphie and Nida went to Trabia to help finish the restoration project and set up there. Quistis and Irvine went to Galbadia Garden to aid there whilst Zell stayed with Rinoa. The pair of them went to Winhill where they met with your father and his aides who had been exiled after the blast."

Squall: "Cid was wise to split everyone up it seems"

**Angel**: "With all the top operatives out of Balamb, Cid surrendered B-garden to Esthar and FH - allowing them to thoroughly investigate it to find the source of the terrorist attacks. When they found nothing, they released B-garden and sent it back to Balamb where they anchored it. Shortly after, SeeD was disbanded. With its commander a suspected terrorist and all its top operatives missing in the field, presumed dead by the media, there was little point in carrying it on."

Squall's heart sank - his home was gone. He could have saved it somehow.

**Angel**: "Your friends stay in contact and keep a low profile, they have managed to hide for the past two years, but they are waiting for the signal to come back, bringing Garden back and starting their biggest mission yet - saving the world once again. Squall, you will be re-united soon"

Squall nodded. His mind was at ease knowing they were all alive. He wanted to ask about Rinoa specifically, but he couldn't. His mind flashed between the events with Ultimecia in his mind, and how it felt good to have not felt anything by experiencing it, and to Tarbella who had sacrificed herself to save him and nearly exhausted herself healing him. He wanted to know if she still believed in him, but he felt that after two years with no trace of him, it was best not to ask.

**Squall**: "Why was your name carved into the arm of Flo Dobe?"

Angel sighed.

**Angel**: "Chaos is like a sorceress, he can twist the mind of people so they carry out his will. He managed to bring back Adel as his answer to me. Adel, to the untrained is of angelic appearance - the wings, the runes and tattoo's. Her personality and power and aura though is that of evil. Chaos convinced a sect of Armageddon-ists that Adel was the angel they had prayed too. That her name was Angel and her word should be spread through death and destruction. In the past two years, terrorist attacks attributed to me have been carried out by Chaos and Adel's cultists."

Squall took another sip of his water, trying to process this information

**Angel**: "This made my movement through the world harder. If I was spotted, I was pursued. I have had to act in secrecy, using Tarbella and others like her as my eyes whilst I based myself here."

**Squall**: "Why am I being hunted? Why did I lose two years of my life?"

Angel sighed. She didn't know how to answer this question with words. Instead she placed her and on Squalls and looked into his eyes.

**Angel**: "I will show you instead of telling you. It is easier for me to explain this way. Tarbella, please take his other hand. This is something you must both see"

Angel's body was surrounded by a pale blue aura. It enveloped the three of them. Without any warning, Squall and Tarbella both fell asleep, their bodies fell in slow motion from their chairs and gently landed on the kitchen floor. Angel stood over them, she let go of their hands and instead, placed their hands in one another's, joining them in the vision.

**Angel**: "I hope this can be of more use than my words. I will show you what memories I have of you during the past two years Squall. Hopefully you can connect the dots and work out why things went the way they did"

Angel sat back down at the table, watching over the two of them in a magically induced sleep on the floor. She felt uneasy doing it this way, but it was all she could do realistically to explain to them exactly what had happened.

**Angel**: "Ultimecia, show yourself"

Ultimecia walked out of a nearby wall. She looked at Angel and smiled

**Ultimecia**: "I thought you'd never get me out of there"

Angel without warning flicked her hand out, it was surrounded by a pale white aura and before the sorceress could even react, Angel's hand penetrated her chest. There was no blood from the attack, no pain, no reaction.

**Ultimecia**: "Is that how you greet people now?"

Angel pulled her hand out of Ultimecia. The wound sealed up, leaving no trace of any attack.

**Angel**: "How much does he know? Has he worked any of it out for himself yet?"

Ultimecia laughed. She leaned forwards on the table and looked down at Squall.

**Ultimecia**: "Poor bastard has only just realized he is an instrument of fate once again. He's started to surrender himself to destiny once again... But which destiny I can't say. Even as a part of his mind, there are places I can't get into. Those two years you and him keep mentioning - I can't find anything at all."

Angel shook her head. She felt uneasy when dealing with this particular sorceress but she had no choice in this circumstance. She needed something inside of Squall, something which was a part of him to help him find out what happened in those two years and no matter how hard he tried to fight it, Ultimecia was as much a part of him as his friends and family were. Probably the only part which could get through to him right now.

**Angel**: "Remember this Ultimecia... You may be powerless now, and only able to exist vicariously through Squall. That is only because I let you do so. If you even cross me, or endanger his or any of his friends lives in any way at all, I will erase you and trap your essence in a worthless rock, burried at the bottom of the sea, from which there will be no return"

Ultimecia smirked in the same way she did when she was taunting Squall. She grabbed Angel's hand and placed it on her chest.

**Ultimecia**: "Do that thing with your hand again, I almost got a kick out of it!"

Angel pulled her hand away. Her eyes glowed a deep blue as her body started to glow. The manifestation of Ultimecia stepped back nervously

**Angel**: "Don't fuck with me witch. I will destroy you"

Ultimecia snarled at the Centran and retreated into the wall. As she faded back into nothingness, she spoke

**Ultimecia**: "Gladius communem maleficus"

Angel watched as she vanished.

**Angel**: "That is what I was afraid of..." 

* * *

A/N: The basic information from this chapter is as follows:  
1 - the SeeD and Squall's family are alive, just scattered throughout the world as a reaction to the events explained in the next chapter

2 - Ultimecia was defeated by Squall, but a part of her came back through time compression with him. It was kept at bay for most of the six years, untill recently when Adel set it free in the fight two chapters ago where she now has some influence in his mind.

3 - Angel seems to be working on a truce with Ultimecia to find out what is going on with Squall exactly since she does not know exactly what happened in the two years missing from squall's life.

translation: "Gladius communem maleficus" - This sword cuts both ways witch


	20. Chapter 20 - The plan of a tyrant

**=====FLASHBACK - ESTHAR GOVERNMENT DISTRICT, SEPTEMBER 28TH 4A.C=====**

It was a quiet morning in the heart of the most advanced country in the world. People went about their daily commute to work, many slaves to the nine to five grind, waiting for the end of work so they could enjoy the weekend. The air was calm over the government district. A hover car pulled up outside the Congress building and it was flanked by armed guards. They stood in formation, making sure the coast was clear before the heads of Congress all made their way out. The ten men, clad in gold and blue robes walked into the building. Normally the head congress meetings in Esthar were held by eleven, but there was one noticeable absentee - Albert Bergenkampt. The congressman was a notable man in the politics of Esthar. He was a hardline conservative with lots of old money behind him. He was a child, eight years of age when the sorceress Adel took control of the country. He fled the city with his family where, in exile they helped form the counter-movement to her reign and helped to fund it. Over the years, he had grown bitter and resentful, at how a Galbadian had managed to reach the top of the Estharian political pyramid and how his family who helped the revolution had become overlooked so often. Congressman Bergenkampt was now twenty-nine, the youngest congressman in Esthar's history and he was a political force. His passion for taking Esthar back behind its curtain, restoring the balance of the world to the way where it favored Esthar - self-reliant, self-sufficient and self-governing was starting to gain momentum among the people. It was no secret he opposed Laguna at every turn and from the looks of it, the congress meeting today was going to be about him - should he be allowed a seat anymore or would he be stripped of his rank? The other agenda to be discussed was the SeeD-sponsored terrorist attack on Odine's labs earlier in the week. Commander Leonhart would be heading to the meeting to give his account of the events and to assist them completely in order to get to the bottom of the affair. As the congressmen went inside the building, another vehicle pulled up - Out of it stepped four SeeDs - Commander Leonhart and three other mid-ranked SeeD who usually formed his diplomatic team. From the lack of visible weaponry on the three accompanying SeeD, they were presumed to be the legal/intel division which meant they would no doubt have hidden weaponry on them. Only the blue gleam of Lionheart, the legendary gunblade wielded by the commander was visible. The men walked into the building where they were greeted by the congressmen before they all headed towards the meeting room. It was going to be a long day most of them thought, how wrong they were.

At 10:16am Esthar time, an explosion ripped through the government building. It showered the streets around it with shards of broken glass, twisted steel and concrete chunks and topped off with the sight of fire, plumes of smoke and the stench of death. Cries of pain and anguish could be heard from people who had survived the blast but were injured or maimed by it. The sound of sirens rang out through the city as panic set in and the sound of news helicopters above broadcast the scene to the world. It was a flashback to the Lunar Cry four years ago which ruined a lot of the countryside and damaged a decent sized area of the city. Within minutes of the explosion the word had spread around the world - there had been another terrorist attack in Esthar and Commander Leonhart was missing, presumed dead. It was a horrific scene and many around the world went into shock. The past few months had hailed a wave of violent events from a group called "Angel" - doomsday cultists who were hell-bent on spreading their view by force. Their most high profile attack was last month in FH where they murdered Flo Dobe and tried to use it to instigate a war between Garden, Galbadia and Esthar. Could they be responsible this time?

In the midst of the wreckage of the burning building, a body lay there. Bloodied, bruised but still breathing. It was just on the edge of the blast zone and it was covered by a pale blue light - a protect spell. It was Commander Leonhart. He managed to survive the explosion despite being at close range thanks to his magic. He lay there, his eyes closed, breathing heavily. He was alive, but he wasn't getting up any time soon. He was unconscious and profusely bleeing from a deep gash on his cheek. Given the force of the explosion was enough to destroy half the congressional building, Squall must have used one powerful protect spell, almost as powerful as Selphie's Wall magic. As he lay there, a purple tinted black smoke drifted over him. It hung in the air before descending to the floor next to him. It rose up in the air before it formed the shape of a person. It had no features, just two yellow eyes and a purple-black form. It knelt beside the commander, placed its hand on the commander's head and started to speak.

**Entity**: "Squall! Help me! Its Angel! They've got me!"

The voice was familiar. It stirred a response in the commander, causing him to fidget.

**Entity**: "HELP ME!"

The voice was louder this time, it sounded like a female screaming for help. The increase in volume and desperation in the tone of voice used was successful - it made the commander open his eyes. He rubbed at them as the smoky figure pulled its arm away from his head. It repeated its request for help again, begging for help.

**Squall**: "... Rin? Why are you here?"

The voice was Rinoa's. Clearly the entity knew how to provoke a reaction from the SeeD. Squall struggled to get to his feet. He reached down and picked up Lionheart and clutched it in his hand. His vision was blurry, he could barely see anything in the dim light and the smoke-filled room. He stumbled forwards aimlessly as the figure moved next to him, all the while talking to him with Rinoa's voice.

**Entity**: "Squall, Angel have me... They.. They're going to kill me... HELP ME"

Squall shook his head, he sliced at the smoke in front of him with Lionheart, trying to clear the path. Little did he know, a rescue team was on its way into the room he was in. He had no idea what had happened, all he could remember was a flash of light and something inside him telling him to use protect and to get down on the floor. As he stumbled forwards, Rinoa's desperate cries rang in his ears.

Entity: "Squall, they're coming your way... save me.. HELP"

Squall didn't even hesitate or question why he could hear Rinoa who was supposed to be in Timber. All he could feel was the urge to fight and find her. He readied himself and held his sword up. The incoming rescue team never stood a chance. The moment the men walked into the room was the moment they signed their death warrant. Squall leaped forwards through the smoke and cut them down with Lionheart. Little did he know, the men's communication equipment was still recording and feeding back to the mission control. The SeeD's murdering three innocent civilians was all that was needed to cement his guilt - the high congress were dead in a bomb blast where he was present and he had killed the rescue workers. The shadow simply drifted backwards, into the debris again as Squall, disoriented made his way out of the wreckage, holding the bloodied gunblade in his hand.

Squall and Tarbella watched the scene, both with an expression of shock. Squall had been set up perfectly to take the fall. Tarbella pointed out the shadow trailing Squall as he left the building. It wrapped itself around him, masking him from view, allowing him to escape undetected.

**Tarbella**: "What is that thing?"

**Squall**: "...Chaos"

**=====FLASH - PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE, ESTHAR 11:36AM=====**

Laguna slammed his fist down on the desk. He knew that his son and SeeD were not responsible for the explosion or the terrorism charges, but the fact Squall had killed three civilians whilst disoriented and confused due to concussion from the blast meant he had to issue to order to arrest his son and to bring him in before Garden retrieved him. He couldn't bring himself to say it, so instead he looked at Kiros, his aide and the man who kept Esthar running smoothly to do it. Kiros phoned the order through and then turned to the president.

**Kiros**: "Laguna, you have to issue a public statement distancing yourself from your son's actions. As hard as it may be, you have to 'cut ties' with him. Bergenkampt will use this against you and it will be the nail in your coffin - he will depose you certainly after this latest event"

Kiros was always practical. It was the one thing which Laguna admired in the man, but even his cold practicality could cause tension between them like the current situation now.

**Kiros**: "Bergenkampt is probably on his way here as we speak. We know he didn't attend the congress meeting today, he probably knew of the blast, but because he is that well connected, he could easily hide a terrorist organization and our fingers of blame pointing at him would only make us look fools as we have no evidence to tie him to this directly. He has been waiting to stage a coup for months now, and this is the best chance he has."

Laguna turned round, he moved a painting off the wall and punched in a code to his wall safe. It opened up and out slid his old G-issue machine gun. He strapped it on, loaded it up and then turned back to the safe. Removing some pulse grenades, some clips of ammo and a back up pistol he looked at Kiros. The aide nodded.

**Laguna**: "If they're coming here, they will be armed and looking to either kill us, making it seem like another attack, or they'll have evidence to plant on us so we go down for being terrorists to our own country. Get out of here, call Ward and tell him to grab Elloene - we flee to Winhill. I'll send word to Cid, telling him to prepare for backlash off the new Esthar Government and to get some new allies or political ties, he can't count on us anymore."

Kiros nodded. He peered through the door and saw muzzle flashes at the bottom of the hallway. Laguna's guards were under attack by men dressed as SeeD's.

**Kiros**: "Bergenkampt's using SeeD uniforms to disguise his troops. I'll upload the footage to B-Garden right away. Please don't get yourself killed Laguna"

Laguna waved his friend off as he slipped through the hidden passage way in his office. The president then turned to his desk - he pressed a button underneath it which opened a door behind him. He had his own escape route which no one would be able to follow him down if things got tough, but right now he had a fight on himself. Crouching down behind the desk, he took the safety off his machine gun and looked down the sights at the door. After what seemed like an eternity, the doors burst open. Laguna pulled on the trigger and sent a hail of bullets down the corridor. The firing seemed to work - it caused the attackers to seek cover long enough for him to throw a grenade out. As the metal cylinder bounced, one of the men shouted something but it was too late, a blue flame exploded in the middle of the hallway and shot towards the office. Laguna dived through the door and locked it from behind. He ducked down, rigging up another pulse grenade to the door, booby trapping it before making his escape.

**Laguna**: "Son... please be alive"

**=====FLASH - NEWS BROADCAST 13:38PM=====**

_"This is Zhen Yu, Esthar's leading news anchor on breaking news 9. We bring you this special broadcast - The explosion at the congressional buildings today which killed the top ranking congressmen was discovered to be the work of the terror organisation "Angel". They seem to have hired SeeD to smuggle in the explosives before detonating them and allowing the now missing Commander Leonhart to wage a bloody campaign of terror, killing innocent civilians across the city. Police are issuing a red alert - the SeeD is highly dangerous. Stay away from him at all costs, all military personnel have been cleared with the shoot to kill order if the commander is found."_

The anchor placed her hand on her ear piece before looking back up at the camera

_"I have just received word that there has been an attack on President Laguna by SeeD also. There was an explosion confirmed at the presidential palace around 11:45am today, Esthar time. The president and his aide's whereabouts are unknown. During this time of crisis, Congressman Bergenkampt who has just returned from a business trip has assumed control of the government and has called for martial law and calm from the citizens until this panic is resolved"_

The scene cut to a press release from Bergenkampt. He stood there, at the podium in front of the wreckage of the congressional buildings. His shoulder length blonde hair was wavy and it caught the faint breeze, flicking to life behind him. His facial hair was well kept, his distinctive handle-bar mustache and sideburns drew attention to his yellow eyes. He stood, dressed in red and gold, a figure of hope, power and comfort

**Bergenkampt**: "Citizens of Esthar, We must remain vigilant in the absence of our president. I have the army working on tracking down the fugitive SeeD and anyone else affiliated with Balamb Garden. They will be brought in for questioning. We will get to the bottom of this and we will find out for certain what the truth behind these attacks are"

Squall watched the scene, as the congressman spoke, he could see the shadow-form of chaos lurking behind him, invisible to everyone else there. He shook his head, it was perfect, set up an independent party to take the blame for an internally orchestrated terrorist attack to seize control of the government. Bergenkampt must have jumped at the chance to sell his soul to chaos for this power.

**Tarbella**: "Is this the power we face? Something which can twist everything to suit its own needs?"

Squall didn't answer, he had seen this before with Ultimecia and he knew the sorceress was watching this through his eyes. He knew he would have to deal with her as soon as this vision was over, but until then he just wanted to focus on the events, trying to make sense of it all.

**=====FLASH - ESTHAR/TRABIA BORDER, SEPTEMBER 29TH 01:46AM=====**

_"There he is, GET HIM"_

Soldiers chased Squall across the rough terrain. It was at the foot of the Vienne mountains - the border of Trabia and Esthar. He ducked and dived out the way of the gunfire and helicopter search lights, he had to run, he had to survive. Ducking down behind a large rocky outcrop, the voice which convinced him to fight his way out of the explosion keeps telling him to run, to flee. Squall shakes his head and tries to focus, but the sound of gunfire distracts him.

**Entity**: "Find the Angel, destroy her, its all her fault"

Squall kept on running. The voice in his head kept repeating the same message, he couldn't shake it.

**=====FLASH - BERGENKAMPT MANSION, ESTHAR SEPTEMBER 29TH 02:35AM=====**

Begenkampt stood in front of a roaring fire in his office. Dressed in a red and gold cloak, he clutched a glass in his hand. He swirled the amber liquid in it before taking a sip from it. Setting the glass down on the table, he looked to the other side of the room - standing there were two figures - one of them was the shadow entity which was responsible for getting Squall blamed for the terror attacks, the other was Sorceress Adel.

**Bergenkampt**: "I trust everything went according to plan?"

**Chaos**: "It did, I am impressed with your resourcefulness congressman. You will soon be president and with our help, you will be able to rule the country with no resistance and crush Garden once and for all"

**Adel**: "Your next step?"

**Bergenkampt**: "Mobilize the army, raise the shields again and consolidate our forces, we prepare for war."

Chaos drifted across the room, he stood in front of the congressman

**Chaos**: "You will need to dispatch troops to Centra."

**Bergenkampt**: "Why? It is a desolate ruined landscape with old rocks. Nothing useful is there"

Adel shook her head

**Adel**: "We found the crystal pillar there, the device which powers the Lunatic Pandora. Excavate it more, find more ancient treasure and weaponary. That way we can fight whatever the real Angel throws at us. I will go to Centra myself and oversee the operation there. I will instruct my followers to keep acting the way they are, it should surely draw the SeeDs out of hiding so you can smite them"

**Chaos**: "Take the sorceress' advice, she can help you restore the Pandora. With that, you can use it to spread fear and rule with an iron fist. The crimson light of judgement"

Bergenkampt smiled at this thought.

**Bergenkampt**: "Very well, undermine the efforts of Angel with our own, Adel, make preparations and head to Centra. I will assign someone to head the operation but oversee it yourself. The public are not ready for you to make your grand return yet."

Adel bowed respectfully and left the room. Chaos looked at Bergenkampt

**Chaos**: "You are wise to heed our words president..."

**Bergenkampt**: "I am merely a congressman at the moment. I will only be president when I can clean up this mess... unless the people wish me to take up the mantle"

**Chaos**: "By midnight tomorrow, you will rule this land... I promise you that"

**=====END FLASHBACK=====**

Squall woke up in the kitchen. Tarbella was already sat at the table. She was writing various things down, most probably related to what they saw. Squall sat alongside her and looked at what was wrote down.

**Squall**: "So, what we know - Chaos somehow brought Adel back to life, approached Bergenkampt after seeing how dark and twisted his nature was, and made him an offer he couldn't refuse - power for his soul."

**Tarbella**: "And that explains why they were in Centra too - they're hunting for something... but what?"

Squall found himself with more questions as opposed to having the answers he craved

**Squall**: "We know what happened, why I am hunted, but we still don't know what happened to me in the past two years. We need to find that out"

**Tarbella**: "Elloene can help us with that right?"

Squall nodded. He wanted to speak, but he felt light-headed. Words wouldn't come out. He stood up, resting his arms on the table, trying to balance himself. Tarbella tried to hold him upright but it failed - his eyes closed, his head slumped forwards and he fell into the table before falling down to the floor. Tarbella cast cure on Squall to try and help with his injuries but it was no use. She called out for Angel who quickly ran into the room with them.

**Tarbella**: "He collapsed again"

Angel knew why but she couldn't say. Ultimecia wanted to talk to him it seemed, but as much as it hurt her, lying to Tarbella, she bit her bottom lip and did so anyway

**Angel**: "I must have over-exerted his mind. He is still mentally fatigued after the torture from Adel. Help me get him to bed, he will wake in a few hours."

Tarbella nodded. They both picked the SeeD up and walked him back to his room. As they lay him down on the bed, Tarbella held his hand tightly, tears forming in her eyes again. Angel placed her hand on her shoulder and simply stood in silence, watching the two of them. She thought to herself.

_"I hope you found what you needed Leonhart"_


	21. Chapter 21 - A sense of purpose

**-FLASH - SQUALL'S MIND-**

Squall woke up in the kitchen. There was a stillness in the air which unsettled him. It didn't take him long to realise he was back inside his mind again. He knew what was coming in the next few minutes. Walking round to the table, he pulled a stool out ready and then walked back to the other side of it. He pulled another stool out and then sat down on it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Ultimecia appeared. She was wearing her usual revealing red robes but she wore her hair down. The long, flowing white hair reached down to the floor without the ornate headpiece and stylings. It almost made her look normal for a moment. She smirked at Squall before sitting down on her stool.

**Ultimecia**: "And people say chivalry died with the Centra... Fools."

Squall didn't even respond, he simply sat there looking at the table, trying to process the events Angel had shown him. Ultimecia left her seat and walked round to Squall's side of the table. She stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder, gazing at the wood like he was.

**Ultimecia**: "Can I join you in this exercise in wood-watching?"

Squall shook her off him and looked round. She was back in front of him on her stool.

**Squall**: "Can you stop fucking with me for just a minute?"

Ultimecia laughed

**Ultimecia**: "What? And lose any fun I have in the worlds most isolated and fragmented mind? I couldn't do that, I look forwards to your visits here, they keep me going... give me something to believe in.."

Ultimecia mimicked a damsel in distress style routine, complete with over the top hand gestures but couldn't hold herself anymore and burst out laughing.

**Ultimecia**: "I couldn't do it... I couldn't take myself seriously!"

Squall just looked at her coldly. His demeanor put a stop to her childishness momentarily.

**Squall**: "What do you want? Since you are in my head, you already know what I have seen and heard."

Ultimecia rubbed her hands together.

**Ultimecia**: "Straight to the point as always SeeD... or should I say former SeeD since your little organization was disbanded."

Squall shot her a look of disgust

**Ultimecia**: "You're going up against Chaos. The legendary warrior mage who was sealed in the moon by the great Hyne. The loser in the battle of the Gods. I don't envy you one bit"

**Squall**: "That is almlost comforting, coming from you"

Ultimecia smirked

**Ultimecia**: "I was just a powerful sorceress who was the result of many generations of evolution and a heightened sense and understanding of my powers. If you thought I was a challenge, you are going up against a God here, that's off the charts, even by my standards!"

Squall sighed

**Squall**: "So how do we kill a God?"

Ultimecia's body language changed. She tensed up and looked Squall directly in the eyes.

**Ultimecia**: "You can't. Only a God can kill a God. Hyne left this place long ago, no one knows why or where he went, but he probably hoped Chaos wouldn't get out otherwise he never would have left."

Squall shook his head.

**Squall**: "So what do I have to do then?"

**Ultimecia**: "The only thing you know how to - fight. Gather up the rest of the fated children and take it from there."

**Squall**: "So gather everyone up and head to our deaths?"

**Ultimecia**: "Isn't that what you have trained all your life for? To go into each fight knowing that it might just be your last?"

Squall looked at the sorceress, she was right. SeeDs were trained killers, took on as orphans, no families to worry about apart from themselves. They grew up together as their own family and they fought together and died together. It was inevitable that they would die in combat or through combat related injuries.

**Squall**: "That is true, but at the same time, I'm no longer a SeeD am I? I'm a wanted criminal according to Esthar and according to what Angel told me, SeeD no longer exists"

Ultimecia shook her head. She threw her hands up in the air in a dramatic fashion

**Ultimecia**: "SeeD will always exist. You aren't that easy to destroy, believe me, I tried and tried but I couldn't do it"

Squall shook his head

**Squall**: "So what, just because we aren't SeeDs anymore by name, we still do what SeeD should do?"

**Ultimecia**: "That is generally how these things work - you find the problem and you deal with it. You saved the world once Leonhart. Its time to save it again"

**-FLASH END-**

Squall woke up. He was in the bedroom again, this time it was reality - he could feel the ocean breeze through the window of the room he was in and he could hear the sound of the waves crashing against the cliff. He got out of the bed and walked down the hall, running his fingers along the stone wall. The Orphanage might have been rebuilt after the fight with Ultimecia so it wasn't in an abandoned state anymore, but it still had the same homely feel to it for Squall as it did back when he was a child. Even though his memories had been effected by the use of GF's, he could at least remember the feel of the stone, how cold it got during the winter and how the fire in the main room used to keep them all warm. He looked out of the window in the hall at the skyline, remembering the fireworks they set off as children.

_"Going up against an unstoppable foe?"_

Squall leaned on the window ledge, his fringe blew in the wind as he watched the sea birds fly in formation. The views from this place often led to many people who visited getting lost here. The seemingly endless sea allowed for all the young children here to get lost in their dreams and hopes, nothing stood in their way except themselves. It was a line Matron Edea used to tell them all the time.

_"Nothing stands in your way except yourself..."_

Squall thought about those words and remembered what Ultimecia had said to him earlier. She told him it was time to save the world again, it's what he does. She told him that they were facing an enemy they couldn't kill. It made no sense to him and the more he looked at the ocean, the more he allowed himself to just think through the same things over and over - could he find everyone and more importantly, could he convince them to risk it all one last time to take on another seemingly impossible task? He sighed as he tried to push the thoughts from his head. He wanted to find Angel or Tarbella to have some company and to see what their next step was, but instead he found himself headed outside. He pushed the window open and climbed out of it, into the small garden on the edge of the cliff. He sat down, resting against the wall and watched the ocean. So vast, seemingly endless.

_"Just like my life - one big open, never ending struggle"_

Squall laughed to himself. Watching the waves gently rise and fall, small crowns of white on some of them showing where the current was stronger, he let his mind wander.

_"When will the struggle finally end? Is it just going to keep going and going? Like the waves crashing against the cliff?"_

Squall reached down and picked up a stone. He held it in his hand and ran his thumb across its smooth surface before he re-adjusted his grip on it and threw it out of the garden into the sea below. Closing his eyes, he just wished he could be like that stone he just threw - insignificant. He knew the stone would eventually reach the seabed after it was jostled about by the current, and right now he wished he was that stone. Just an insignificant object being carried along on the currents of time and fate. But he wasn't and he never could be, the hand of fate had decided that long ago. He shook his head and looked up at the sky, it was clear, there wasn't a single cloud in sight.

_"Everything around me is so open, so simple. Its clear, it has a purpose..."_

Squall continued to speak out loud as he tried to come to a logical explanation

_"It carries it out with ease... No fuss, no complications, it just does..."_

_"You have a purpose too"_

Squall looked - leaning out the window next to him was Tarbella. She looked down at him and smiled, her hair glistened in the sun and her pale skin looked vibrant against the stone walls.

**Tarbella**: "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, but after listening to you talk to the sky, the wall and the grass for a while, I thought you could do with some company"

Squall moved out the way of the window, he got to his feet and helped Tarbella through the gap and onto the grass next to him. Tarbella sat down leaning against the wall and placed her hand on top of his. She squeezed it, offering him reassurance.

**Tarbella**: "I've only known you for eight or nine days Squall, but in that time I've learned one thing - nothing I say or do will ever be enough to calm your mind. I've been in there remember, I have seen how it works. How you imprison yourself in your words, your actions, you let your thoughts dominate you."

Tarbella paused. As she did, her brown eyes met Squall's blue eyes.

**Tarbella**: "You've faced your fair share of shit over the years but at the same time, it's what you do. You said it yourself as a child..."

**Squall**: "I gotta do my best by myself..."

**Tarbella**: "Exactly. I know you accept help a little bit more readily now than you did back then, I have seen that much already... But sometimes, you just have to surrender yourself to it. There is no shame on relying on others Squall"

Squall turned away, he could feel himself getting lost in the deep brown eyes of Tarbella. He shook his head and tried to pull his hand away, but she simply slipped her fingers between his and clenched tightly.

**Tarbella**: "I'm not letting go of you Squall. Not until you realize this is something you can't take on alone."

Squall started to get frustrated.

**Squall**: "I survived for two years without anyone, I can do this..."

**Tarbella**: "Squall, do you even know what you did in those two years?"

Squall went to answer but he couldn't. He had no idea what happened between the events of September two years ago and last week when he suddenly became aware again. He shook his head.

**Squall**: "I'll figure it out..."

Tarbella scoffed at his statement. She shook her head and used her free hand to mimic Squall's trademark facepalm.

**Tarbella**: "I'm Squall, I like to be alone and pretend I don't need anyone even though I just woke up after a two-year mental coma. I almost died a few times and a girl who I barely know sacrificed herself to save my ass, but I like to be alone and do everything with an internal monologue"

Squall jerked his hand away from Tarbella who burst out laughing at his reaction. He knew she was right, he couldn't do it alone, not this, but his pride was the thing which always seemed to get in his way.

**Tarbella**: "Swallow your pride Squall. Its going to get you killed before you're actually meant to die. You're special, fate seems to have high hopes for you, but fate is a fickle thing Squall. Fall out of favour and it will cut the thread you're hanging by and you will be cast into the abyss again."

Squall looked at Tarbella once more, the warmth and acceptance in her face was now gone. It was replaced with anger. She didn't look intimidating as such, but the fire which burned inside her was visible in her eyes. He could see it burning brightly, the desire to help.

**Tarbella**: "I know you're scared Squall, We all are. We're going against a God remember. Ultimecia was one hell of a sorceress who almost became a God but you stopped her. This time you are just facing the real deal. If fate didn't think you were capable of meeting this challenge, we wouldn't be having this conversation now"

**Squall**: "Its not just Chaos..."

Tarbella held his hand again. Squall tried to pull away once more but the sorceress refused to let go of him.

**Tarbella**: "I know, its your friends, your family... You're scared what is going to happen when we find them..."

**Squall**: "I caused so much trouble it seems, I cost them everything"

**Tarbella**: "Nonsense, they knew the moment that explosion went off you weren't behind any of it. They probably already had a plan put in place incase anything did happen."

**Squall**: "What about Rinoa? Surely our bond should be intact still?"

Tarbella was waiting for this question. At the mention of her name, she let go of Squalls hand and gave him some space.

**Squall**: "I mean, we had a bond, we were together. Sorceress and knight, boyfriend and girlfriend..."

Tarbella simply placed her hand on his shoulder and let him carry on.

**Squall**: "What if she's moved on? What if she thinks I abandoned her? What if she thinks I betrayed her? I haven't seen her face or heard her voice in two years, I don't even know if she remembers me. What if something has happened to her? I would have failed as her knight"

Tarbella didn't want to answer him. She knew nothing she said, whether it appealed to his emotions or his logic would satisfy him, and she also knew she wouldn't be satisfied either if she answered him. All she could do was sigh and rub his shoulder as a gesture of reassurance before she got to her feet again. She looked out towards the ocean and smiled.

**Tarbella**: "Live. When all else fails, do what your basic human instinct tells you to do - live."

Squall didn't react to the comment.

**Tarbella**: "I know how hard it is to lose someone Squall. I lost my boyfriend during the Lunar cry which also killed my family, my friends, my neighbours, my town, my country. It even killed me if losing everyone else to it wasn't bad enough!"

Squall tried to laugh at her attempts to distract him.

**Tarbella**: "You've been given a chance to live again Squall, use it wisely. If you want to spend this second chance wondering and worrying about her, then that's your decision, but remember if fate sees no need for you, it will cut you off"

**Squall**: "So, what about you then... you've been given a third chance it seems"

**Tarbella**: "Indeed I have, and I'm living it right now. I questioned myself, I questioned Angel, I questioned everything. I drove myself to the brink wondering why I was saved and not any of the others. I tried to ask myself what would Logus want me to do if I outlived him. I never found an answer which would suit every part of me. There would always be one thing which held me back, one thing which hurt me... But I ignored it because I realised, the only thing I could do, was live. That is what everything boils down to Squall. You live or you die."

Tarbella stood leaning against the wall of the orphanage.

**Tarbella**: "I can't make the choice for you Squall. You have to decide for yourself. Are you going to live with purpose, or die trapped alone in your thoughts, trying to do the impossible in pleasing yourself? Are you going to take this head on and live - save the world or at least die trying to save it, or are you going to stay here, live with your memories and become nothing more than someone confined to the pages of history if anyone even bothers to write about the legendary SeeD who saved the world once, then gave up because he couldn't face his friends after thinking he failed them?"

Squall stood up. He looked Tarbella right in the eyes. The fire in her eyes was burning brightly. It reminded him of Rinoa - the passion for life and for helping people. Tarbella looked back at his eyes. Instead of the dull blue they were before, this time they seemed to be alive, like a spark had been lit inside him. She smiled to herself as she looked at Squall who seemed to have found some resolve within himself. He stood there, his back to the ocean staring right at Tarbella. It seemed like he was putting his expanse of thoughts and worries behind him and simply focusing on what was in front of him, in his hands in the present.

**Squall**: "You're right... I have to take my fate into my own hands. If I'm going to face this thing, it has to be on my terms"

Tarbella stepped away from the window. She turned to face Squall once again and motioned to the opening

**Tarbella**: "Lead the way Commander. Angel wants to talk to you later. Get something to eat first, we have a lot to go through"

Squall nodded. He placed his arm on Tarbella's shoulder and nodded at her. He couldn't bring himself to thank her just yet, but it was as close as she was getting to some acknowledgement for her words and the effect they seemed to have on him. As he climbed through the window, Tarbella sighed and turned her attentions back towards the ocean. She held her pendant tightly in both her hands and lowered her head for a moment. Tears started to run down her cheeks as she watched the waves.

_"Find your purpose Squall, live with it but don't let it define you. Only you can define yourself... Maybe I will find my purpose someday..."_

Tarbella leaned back against the wall and slumped down to the ground. She pulled her knees up towards her chest and silently sobbed to herself. She had the power to make a difference, she knew what to say to inspire a response, but she still felt helpless. She mourned the losses her country suffered during that fateful Lunar Cry and even though she knew she couldn't have stopped it or lessened the damage it inflicted, she still couldn't feel helpless about it.

_"Maybe one day, I will learn to let go..."_

Tarbella looked at the pendant in her hands. It was an oval-shaped piece of smoky quartz which was held in place by thin, golden vines which reached down and wrapped around its edges. She ran her finger along the golden vines which held the gem in place and closed her eyes. The tears fell down into her hands and splashed against the stone. As they did, she shook her head and repeated herself once more.

_"Maybe one day, I will learn to let go..."_

* * *

_A/N: I'm back. Taking a week or so off to get some more ideas put down on paper first so I can carry this on. I'll try to keep to a regular schedule of 1-2 updates a week now on this thing since I managed to get the ball rolling with the first 20 chapters. I'll try and keep the length around the 2500-4000 mark now as I noticed some of the chapters were longer than my usual word limits.  
Hope everyone likes what they have read so far. Please review/leave feedback where possible if you want to. I'm always open to suggestions and happy to talk  
_


	22. Chapter 22 - Preparations

Angel sat in the kitchen. Her long golden blonde hair was tied back in a high ponytail and instead of her white sleeveless 'combat robe', she wore a white t-shirt and a blue floor length skirt. Dressed for comfort, not for battle, she leaned on the table, nursing a glass of fruit juice and watching Tarbella outside the kitchen window. She was waving her arms around in front of her. To anyone watching it may have seemed like she was trying to fight away a fly or a wasp or even a baby bite-bug.

_"Her technique is all wrong, but she is improving at least"_

Angel shook her head as she watched through the window. A ball of green energy was now forming in the palm of Tarbella's left hand. With her right hand she started to 'pull' at the energy, trying to stretch it out into a point but every time she tried to manipulate its shape, the part she had pulled at fell back down into her hand, un-steadying her and causing the energy to fade away, creating a small whirlwind of leaves and dust to pick up each time. Angel knew what she was trying to do - she remembered Adel creating a sword from pure magical energy, two swords in fact and Tarbella must have seen that or found out about it and wanted to try herself. Transforming magical energy and manipulating it this way was hard, even for a sorceress to do, it required plenty of practice and time, something which they didn't have the luxury of sadly. Angel got to her feet. She walked towards the doorway leading to the garden area where Tarbella was training when there was a huge smash. Angel jumped backwards into a combat stance out of instinct. Squall heard the smash and came running through to the kitchen with a combat knife in hand. The pair of them looked around the room and then saw the busted in window. Shards of glass littered the floor, some of them had been blown with such force from the blast they stood out of the counter top.

**Squall**: "What happened here?"

Angel simply gestured to the outside. The pair of them looked through the hole which was the window and tried to contain their laughter. In the middle of the garden, flat out on her back was Tarbella. The two of them headed outside as Tarbella slowly picked herself up off the floor. She looked up at them and the two couldn't do it anymore. They burst out laughing at the Centran who was covered in dirt. Her usually perfect hair was all messed up. For a moment it could have been a scene from a cartoon they were witnessing where the villan tries to use explosives, but instead they blow themselves up.

**Tarbella**: "Hyne that hurt!"

Squall and Angel reached down and took an arm each, they pulled Tarbella up to her feet. Angel let go of her and stepped back. Squall tried to do the same, but Tarbella lost her footing and fell into him. For a moment she looked up at Squall who held her in his arms and smiled before she could feel the questioning stare of Angel. Tarbella pushed herself off Squall and dusted herself down. She looked at the both of them and then settled on looking at Squall.

**Tarbella**: "I was trying... something... It didn't work"

**Squall**: "I noticed"

Tarbella frowned at Squall before smiling at him again. She looked at Angel as if to say 'you explain to him, you're better at this stuff than me'. Angel rolled her eyes and stepped forwards.

**Angel**: "Tarbella was trying to manipulate magical energy, to change it from one form into another. Its possible for anyone to do it if they have good concentration, determination and excellent control over magic"

Squall looked puzzled. He knew you could junction magic to weapons and status and elemental defenses to act as a warding or an enhancement to an attack. He had seen Quistis, Selphie and Rinoa and even Seifer at various stages shape their magic spells so they acted differently - Seifer used fire as a ball sometimes, compacting it so it dealt low damage and acted as more of a distraction whilst he attacked with his sword, whilst the girls could reshape their spells so thunder spells could be ball-shaped instead of strikes of lightining from the sky.

**Tarbella**: "Some sorceresses and some skilled magic users can call magical energy and create things from it, they create a base shape and then work from there"

Angel opened her left hand, in her palm was a swirling ball of blue energy. Squall noticed the bubbling on the surface and assumed it was a water spell. Angel then waved her right hand over it, moving from right to left in one smooth motion and to Squall's surprise, the sphere flattened out into a thin disc. Tarbella then pointed at a dead tree at the end of the garden. She moved her arms and then with one sweeping motion, flicked her right hand across the surface of the disc. It shot out of her hand at high-speed and hit one of the branches of the tree. Squall's eyes widened in amazement as the branch suddenly dropped, almost like it had been cut with a sword. It was a clean-cut, no jagged edges or tears.

**Squall**: "...Incredible"

**Tarbella**: "That's nothing! That was just manipulating the shape to give it a different way of attacking. What I was trying to do was make it into something you can actually hold and use"

**Angel**: "Adel created two swords out of magical energy. The swords then became real, not the mass of magic you saw - actual metal swords. It's a very tricky process and only the most skilled magic users can actually do it. It is almost like creating something from nothing. Tarbella is a skilled magic user, but her technique is sloppy, it needs vast improvement"

Tarbella wanted to protest but Angel silenced her by demonstrating. She created another ball of magical energy, this time without even gesturing around it or saying anything, the sphere distorted. It went longer and thinner and grew in size before it reached about five feet in length. It then seemed to solidify. Angel wrapped her fingers around the newly created bo staff. She twirled it round in the air before passing it to Squall to touch. As he ran his fingers along the edge of it, he was surprised. It was solid. He flicked it, pinched it, even tried to break the end of it. The staff was real.

**Tarbella**: "That is pure condensed magical energy. It's not exactly wood or metal, it is just magic. It stays as long as its creator wills it to"

Squall held the staff in his hands. Before he could inspect it further, it faded from his hands, turning into blue streaks of magical energy which returned to Angel. Angel shook her head for a moment.

**Tarbella**: "The downside of this technique is that it not only requires magic to use, but it also has an effect on your vitality - it is tiresome and requires a lot of focus and energy. In battle it is fine as your adrenaline keeps you going, but once you stop, it hits you all at once."

**Angel**: "Keep training Tarbella, but for now, I suggest you stick to using magic the way you do and stick to using your other weapons"

Squall's interest was piqued - what other weapons? Tarbella had used the pin wheel and wrist crossbows whilst she was in Rinoa's form, and she used wind magic mostly when she was 'unarmed'. He looked at her with interest, she caught onto this and smiled.

**Tarbella**: "You want to train with me sometime?"

Before Squall could even answer, Angel caught on to what Tarbella was trying to do and shot her a warning look. Tarbella shook her head and smiled at Squall again before she headed back inside. Angel and Squall followed her. The three of them started to clean up the glass in the kitchen when Angel began to speak.

**Angel**: "Did you manage to clean Lionheart Squall?"

**Squall**: "Eventually. It will take a few more hours working on it to get the blade completely clean, but the firing mechanisms are working fine and the movable parts aren't jammed up. The main thing is that it works, it just doesn't look good. I can't believe how disgusting I let it get."

**Angel**: "You were AWOL for two years remember, and you also loaded a non-percussive shell into it when you fought the Red Giant. That must have effected it somehow"

Squall nodded

**Squall**: "The shell's discharge clogged up the mechanisms slightly, but I managed to clear it out, its working now but I'll need to actually test it in a combat situation to make sure"

Angel looked at Tarbella who was about to suggest they had a training session

**Angel**: "Tarbella, have you ever fought against a gunblade user before?"

**Tarbella**: "No, I've watched Squall fight though"

**Squall**: "It would be too dangerous to test the mechanism on another human anyway. Even if you were magically warded with protect spells, it wouldn't work out well for you, the shockwave created from the trigger pull would disrupt the barrier and could cause serious damage. It transmits the force down the blade, into the target and inflicts similar damage to that of a gunshot."

Tarbella looked shocked. She wondered why the bodies of the Esthar soldiers looked the way they did after Squall had hit them with his weapon and now she knew why. Angel looked around before she found an old tent in the corner of the room. She walked over to it, picked it up and then looked at the window

**Angel**: "We can use this to cover the window later to keep the rain out if it rains during the night"

Squall nodded. He took the tent and went outside. He rigged it up so the cover of it drapped over the window. After securing it at the bottom, he came back into the kitchen and looked at both women.

**Squall**: "I'm going to finish working on the gunblade. If you need me, you know where to find me"

Tarbella mockingly saluted Squall.

**Tarbella**: "Yes sir"

Angel simply nodded and watched as Squall left the room and headed down the hallway. Once she heard his door close, she turned her attention to Tarbella who was looking at her.

**Angel**: "What are you trying to accomplish?"

**Tarbella**: "What do you mean?"

**Angel**: "You're paying too much attention to Squall. It's quite obvious what you are trying to do.."

Tarbella shook her head. Her look was one of total disbelief.

**Tarbella**: "Seriously... That is what you think of me? An opportunist who is trying to move in on someone who has found himself completely alone with memory problems and none of his friends or his girlfriend around?"

Angel tried to answer but she was cut off

**Tarbella**: "Unlike you, I've spent some time with him. We traveled across Centra remember... Something quite painful for me to do given how I remember it before what happened and I remember what happened to it. I've watched over him, tried to help him, talked to him and even gave my life to try and save him. All I am trying to do is offer friendship"

Tarbella moved from her position. She stormed across the room towards the door leading to the hallway. She kept her back turned as Angel spoke to her.

**Angel**: "I.. I just worry about you sometimes. You head is in the right place but it sometimes it feels like your heart isn't. I don't want to see you get hurt"

Tarbella laughed. She turned back round to face Angel. Her normally calm eyes were now cold, they stared right through the blonde woman.

**Tarbella**: "Hurt? I've been killed twice, I doubt anything else could hurt me now more than dying whilst trying to protect people and failing twice. I lost my love in the Lunar Cry which destroyed our home remember. All I have now are memories and a promise to protect what I can"

**Angel**: "I didn't mean..."

**Tarbella**: "That's all well and good, but whatever you 'didn't mean'... to hell with it now. I am not trying ANYTHING with Squall. I am fully aware he has a girlfriend, or at least he thinks he still has one, and I am fully aware you have some weird feeling the bond between him and the sorceress Rinoa will be of vital importance in the struggle against Chaos."

Tarbella paused. She had let herself get riled up. She shook her head and continued

**Tarbella**: "People move on Angel, time changes everything. Things happen which you can't see coming. I know you're concerned about the lack of activity with the bond between Rinoa and Squall and maybe I should be too, but right now, my only focus is making sure he is ok. He lost two years of his life and was tortured by a sorceress who tried to break his mind. Who knows what Adel did to him?"

Angel bit her bottom lip. She knew all too well what Adel had done - releasing the spirit of Ultimecia which lay dormant in his mind.

**Tarbella**: "Look, Squall trusts me right now. You should just let things be how they are. He's been fucked around by fate and pre-determined destinies all his life. Who knows what is going to happen when Rinoa and her pals show up again? You say you don't want me to get hurt because you think there might be some big loved up reunion between the two? For all you know she could have moved on because he is missing, presumed dead by most."

**Angel**: "I'm sorry Tarbella... It just looked like you were trying to"

**Tarbella**: "Move in on him? If trying to be a friend and trying to make him feel at ease is moving in on him, then what the fuck do you want me to do? Be all cold, distant and secretive like you are? Squall doesn't trust easily remember... I've been inside his mind, I've seen his past, I know how he works. He's changed now, he doesn't want to be alone anymore, he wants people to help him, he wants support."

Angel got up. She walked towards Tarbella and placed her hands on her shoulders. Looking at her, allowing both of their eyes to meet, she spoke.

**Angel**: "Whatever you are doing... Just be careful. You are like a sister to me, I would hate to see you hurt anymore than what you have been already"

Tarbella calmed down. She slipped her arms around the waist of Angel and hugged her.

**Tarbella**: "I didn't mean to go off on you... It's just sometimes, you forget your humanity. I know you've got the blood of Hyne running through you and you're our best shot at defeating Chaos with the help of Squall and his friends, but you have to remember, we're all humans, you aren't just human. You're the last surviving God of the Centrans... the final hope"

Angel released Tarbella and nodded.

**Angel**: "I know... I'm struggling with this at the moment still. I've had over a hundred years to get used to this power, but not the responsibility it brings. Still, what I said still stands, please be careful. I don't want you to get hurt"

Tarbella nodded. She stepped away from the God and turned round. Leaving the room, she waved her hand behind her, bidding

Angel farewell before walking down the hall. She briefly stopped by Squall's door. It was tightly shut. She wanted to knock, to talk to him, to hug him and be re-assured after her fight with Angel but she couldn't bring herself to do so. She needed time and space to sort herself out. Angel may have said a lot of things but the one thing she kept saying was true - she didn't want to see her get hurt. Tarbella knew she was getting too close to Squall. She could feel it inside her, it burned like an urge, a desire she wished she could fulfill but was too scared to.

_"I wish I could say I won't get hurt... But I think its going to be too late for that."_

**-Squall's room-**

Squall set his gunblade down. It was in better condition than it was before. The blade's pale blue appearance was slowly coming back after removing two years worth of dirt, blood and muck. As he admired the progress he had made, he noticed in the corner of the room a small flask. It was a deep purple color and it had a note left underneath it. He walked over to it and picked it up, carefully taking the note before setting it back down. He carefully unfolded the paper and looked at the note.

_"I was going to give you this earlier, but now seemed like a better time. Take it before you go to sleep, it should help ease some of your 'problems'. Angel."_

Squall set the note down and looked back at the flask. The purple liquid gently rippled as he tapped the glass. As it rippled, flecks of red and gold surfaced before fading back under the purple. He smiled as he worked out what it was.

_"G-Return"_

Squall knew he was junctioned to GF's but being unable to feel them or use them since before the incident in Esthar made him almost forget he had them. He knew he could try and call forth the physical form of the GF junction - the spirit stones they inhabited for ease of storing but unless they were "conscious" it would be a hard task to accomplish. It was a defense mechanism they employed - when they were dormant, they couldn't be drawn, only extracted from the body by force. Squall looked out the window at the sky - it was still fairly light out so he wouldn't be going to sleep yet. He looked at his door. For a moment it felt like there was someone on the other side of it, waiting to talk but he brushed it off. He turned back round, sat down on his bed and picked up the gunblade once more.

_"Tomorrow, we test you out again"_

Squall picked up his cloth and set to work on cleaning the blade portion once again. Completely unaware of the Centran standing on the other side of his door, lost in her thoughts and trying to make sense of her feelings right now. 

* * *

A/N: tension!


	23. Chapter 23 - Sign from the heavens

The air was still as night descended on the orphanage. The moonlight shone through the window of the bedroom Squall had taken up residence in and it caught the now cleaned up blade of the Lionheart. The Pale blue adamantine blade seemed to come alive in the night, its pale blue color seemed more vibrant. On the table next to it was an empty flask with traces of purple liquid in the bottom of it - the G-returner Angel had left for Squall with the instructions to take before sleeping. G-potions and G-medicines could be used at any time of the day, there was no 'best time' to use them, but her instructions to take at night had a hidden meaning. Ultimecia was alive in Squall's consciousness and she was helping him find himself in a way, but she was also tormenting him. Revenge for defeating her? We won't know for certain unless she ever got out of his mind and into someone. The logic in taking the Returner this late was that it would give the sorceress and Squall's subconsciousness some company. As the potion was taking its effect, a gentle blue glow and a gentle yellow glow radiated from his forearms.

**-SQUALL'S MIND-**

**Ultimecia**: "So my company isn't good enough for you?"

Ultimecia was trying to get a rise out of Squall. It wasn't working though since the SeeD ignored her completely. Instead he stood there, in the flower field looking out at the scene his mind had conjured up. He saw someone standing there, but he couldn't tell who it was. They were just a shadow, no visible features, no recognizable clothing or marks, just a dark shadow adopting the form of a genderless human.

**Ultimecia**: "Why are you ignoring me Squall? I thought we had made some progress?"

Squall stood there. The more he focused on the shadow, the more distorted and unrecognizable it had become. He wondered why he was seeing the field again, and this vision. He knew Rinoa had this very dream, where she waited for him, and he never came. Was this the same? Was someone waiting for him to come? Taking a chance, he walked towards the shadow. With every step he took, the air seemed to get heavier and thicker. Like he was trying to push through a viscous solution.

**Ultimecia**: "You'll never reach them. Turn back, come to me Squall"

Squall looked behind him - Ultimecia was sat there next to a campfire surrounded by trees. She was wearing a similar outfit to Tarbella though this time - a long white dress top with black skirt and boots, instead of her very revealing and not very imaginative robe. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and she wore black half-sleeve styled gloves. She gestured to a place by the fire.

**Ultimecia**: "This isn't a trick Squall, you can't reach the shadow because you won't let yourself reach it"

Squall stepped backwards, towards the shadow but whilst facing Ultimecia. She was right, as he moved towards the shadow, it was harder to progress but the moment he stepped forwards, away from it, he could move freely. Figuring he had things to try and work out, he headed towards the sorceress.

**Squall**: "What game are we playing tonight?"

Squall sat down opposite Ultimecia who flashed a flirty grin at him.

**Ultimecia**: "No games tonight, no sexual harassment either. I just want us to talk. We're going to have company soon anyway, and they're not going to take too kindly to me putting the moves on their host."

Squall remembered he had taken the G-returner and realized why Angel wanted him to take it at night, the Guardian Forces could help keep him balanced and could counter-act what Ultimecia was doing to him. The guardians could also converse with the sorceress to try and work out in his mind what was done to him and how they could help. GF's were known for damaging memories but in some cases and some studies, the junctioning of GF's helped bring back some memories as it stimulated the brain into acting. Squall felt a familiar presence. As he looked around he could see two figures approaching them. As they grew closer, stepping into the light of the fire, Squall smiled. It was Siren and Leviathan. He stood up and walked towards them and greeted them.

In their avatar forms, Siren was a beautiful woman/bird hybrid, kind of like a typical Angel. She had large golden wings, but these were on the side of her head and she had feathers which grew from her sides and breasts. Like ultimecia, she was very beautiful when one looked past the initial oddness of her appearance. Leviathan was a giant serpent when he was summoned into battle, but in the confines of a junction, he resembled a large, muscular old man. He had a long flowing white beard, he wore a kilt of sorts which was held up by a large golden belt. He was bald and his eyes were as dark a blue as the oceans themselves. The pair of them looked at the SeeD and then to Ultimecia before they finally spoke.

**Siren**: "It is good to be awake once again. I am sorry we could not help or protect you in the time which has passed since the day of the explosion"

**Leviathan**: "The mighty king of the seas, defeated by trickery, I am ashamed. Forgive me master"

Squall raised his hands and held them open in front of the GF's.

**Squall**: "All is forgiven friends, you may have been trapped, but you still allowed me to fight and survive, for that I am as always, forever in your debt"

Squall respectfully bowed to each avatar before he turned back to Ultimecia who herself had risen to her feet. She too bowed to them before making room next to the fire for the four of them to sit.

**Siren**: "Why is the witch of time here?"

**Squall**: "It's a long story, but in a way, she has proved useful in helping me recover from what happened to me"

Siren looked at Ultimecia. The two women exchanged glances before the sorceress finally spoke, breaking the stand-off.

**Ultimecia**: "Long story, not sure on all the details exactly but to sum it up for you - He killed me, part of me exists in him still, he lost two years of his mind and memory, kind of round the same time you two went missing from his consciousness and since he was mind-fucked by Adel who is now alive and more pissed off than ever, I've been running round in here with captain expression himself"

Leviathan scoffed

**Leviathan**: "I see, you have junctioned yourself to Squall until you find a suitable host? The sorceress Rinoa no doubt?"

Squall looked at Ultimecia and clenched his fists. He had expected there might have been a catch to her presence, but Leviathan had exposed it right away.

**Leviathan**: "I would expect no less from the time witch, a parasite feeding on the past to fuel an inhospitable future!"

Ultimecia shook her head. She had been found out.

**Ultimecia**: "You got me... the only problem is though, I can't leave commander personality. I'm stuck to him, even if i could forcibly eject myself and hijack one of his Centran harem he is keeping company these days, the magic binding us will not allow me to. I am stuck here until someone or something breaks it or seals me away like they did to two years of his life"

Siren looked into the flames, she was silently processing the information passing between Leviathan and Ultimecia, but she was also absorbing the information flowing freely through their host's mind. She looked over to Squall who had withdrawn from the conversation and looked at the shadow in the flower field across from them. She rose from her spot and sat down next to the SeeD and placed her hand on his shoulder.

**Siren**: "I can feel your troubles and emotions. This is a most unpleasant situation for you to be in, but unfortunately, what Ultimecia has told you must happen - you need to make your own decisions now and not let yourself be dragged along in the current of fate."

**Squall**: "But in the end, i will still play my fated role"

**Siren**: "That is your destiny, how you arrive at that destiny though is your choice. If you chose to face Chaos head on, then so be it. If you chose to build your forces, and wear him down, so be it. You are destined to fight him though"

Squall was about to talk but Leviathan's booming voice cut him off before he could even form the start of a sentence.

**Leviathan**: "What?!"

**Ultimecia**: "When Adel invaded Squall's mind, she briefly lowered her guard. I was able to get into her head for a second and I found out why she was in Centra with an Estharian battalion"

Squall and Siren both walked towards the others

**Ultimecia**: "Adel has been told by Chaos that there are other Centrans who have been brought back, not just the one who was with Squall. These centrans are the ones who apparently know the location of the fabled weapons and artifacts which are believed to be able to harm chaos"

**Leviathan**: "Weapons from the old war? From when Hyne took on Chaos and his forces?"

Ultimecia nodded.

**Siren**: "This is bad. These weapons and artifacts are vastly powerful in the right hands, but I thought they were all destroyed when Bahamut and Odin decided to save humanity from themselves?"

Squall looked confused. He looked at the guardians as if to ask 'what?'

**Leviathan**: "We were all humans before the Hyne-Chaos war. Every GF was once a human spirit who offered themselves in service to a powerful being - god, witch, sorceress, sorcerer, nature itself. Bahamut and Odin were two fearless warriors. Odin was the legendary knight, you remind me of him to be honest, rightous, unrivaled in battle. Bahamut was a Dragoon - master of the lance and unrivaled in the skies. They helped hold off the monsters and the forces of Chaos with the other chosen warriors, myself and siren included. We knew how powerful Hyne's creations were so we gathered them and the two agreed to destroy them before we used the ones we had been given in order to turn ourselves into guardian forces so we could protect people and our land"

**Ultimecia**: "It seems that your two fearless leaders didn't whack them all. Chaos has a whole country now at his beck and call, they will search for what he wants them too."

Squall stood up. His voice rang out with a tone of authority which impressed even Leviathan

**Squall**: "Then it is simple - we must find them before chaos does, or at least find some of them. I imagine Angel knows how to track them down..."

Leviathan looked at Squall

**Leviathan**: "Did you say Angel?"

Squall nodded

**Leviathan**: "The situation must be grave if Angel is here"

Siren nodded. The look of despair on her face spoke more than her words could ever convey. Ultimecia and Squall exchanged puzzled glances.

**Siren**: "We need to speak with Angel Squall. In the morning, please take us to her. Once we speak to her, we might be able to help you in your mission in order to locate your companions and to put an end to this mess"

Squall was about to speak but everything went white.

**-REALITY-**

Squall woke up. It must have been two or three am. He was sweating and shaking. Although it wasn't a nightmare, the awakening of the guardians in his body had shocked his system. They used to call it "Junction Fever" back in B-Garden. People who had never junctioned a GF before and opted to pick a high level one instead of one of the weaker ones which could allow you to adapt would suffer a total shock to their system for a few days whilst their body adjusted to the power in them. Squall had junctioned many GF over the years, but something must have happened to him in order for him to react this way. Maybe Chaos had interfered with his mind and the bonds between himself and others and that had caused a kind of "system reboot"? He didn't know, but he knew one thing - his skin felt like it was on fire. He quickly pushed the door open and ran down the hallway to the front door. He ran outside and headed down the side path towards the beach where they lit fireworks as a child and took his clothes off before jumping into the sea. The water was bitterly cold, at first it sent him into shock for a split second, but the burning sensation had subsided and the fact he was junctioned to Siren and Leviathan, two ocean based GF's, the harsh water temperature didn't have any adverse effects on him. In fact it did the opposite, it made him feel full of energy, invigorated. As he floated in the sea, he didn't notice someone else outside with him. Stood at the top of the path, looking up at the moon was Tarbella. Squall pulled himself out of the sea and put his clothes back on. He didn't care much about being wet, he knew it wouldn't make him feel sick if he didn't get warm or dry. He slowly walked up the path towards her, dripping wet but fully clothed at least.

**Tarbella**: "Bit too cold to be skinny dipping isn't it?"

Squall shook his head and pointed at his arm. The faint blue glow made Tarbella smile

**Tarbella**: "Leviathan is awake again?"

Squall nodded. He walked over to a broken column which lay horizontally on the floor and sat down. He motioned for Tarbella to join him. She smiled and headed over to him. She sat down and looked up at the moon once again.

**Tarbella**: "It looks so peaceful there now... White, pure, sleeping"

**Squall**: "You dreamed about the cry didn't you?"

Tarbella didn't speak. She didn't move either. All she did was let a single tear roll down her cheek whilst her eyes remained fixed on the moon. After what felt like an eternity to her, she finally spoke, wiping away a second tear.

**Tarbella**: "My village was where you killed the sniper and the behemoth. The building you hid in was my old house. We didn't die from the impact effects of the cry - the seismic activity and explosion and pressure blasts. Some did, but because we were far out, we didn't get the full force of it. We got to see it all happen."

Tarbella pointed at the moon

**Tarbella**: "The 'eye' bulged before exploding in a single stream of crimson. It hit the main bulk of the landmass and it hit hard. The tectonic layout of Centra was vastly different then. Where we are now was only across a river, not an entire bay. The cry's impact blew the land apart literally. It completely altered our geography."

Squall watched her trace a line down from the moon with her finger till it pointed at the floor. She then put both her hands together and then spread them out in a quick motion.

**Tarbella**: "The blast rained down hell on us. It was noon when it hit. The sun was drowned out in a plume of crimson mist. The only light was that from the fires and the explosions from the damage the cry inflicted on the land and buildings. The ground turned black, all life withered away. The grass turned to dust, the tree's withered up. Then... the monsters came."

She stood up and waved her hands, the wind aura she used in combat formed around her hands as she slashed at the air.

**Tarbella**: "At first the monsters were weak, the soldiers, the men and myself were able to fight them away as those unable to defend themselves took shelter. But we were soon overrun. The weaker monsters were killed by the stronger monsters, and they were trampled by even stronger ones. Those which survived the slaughter then turned their attentions to the humans. We tried, but we couldn't do anything."

Tarbella dropped to her knees. She let her head hang low, her hair draped across her face, not wanting Squall to see her tears, but she was sobbing loudly. He got to his feet and walked towards her. He knelt down beside her and put his arms around her.

**Tarbella**: "Logus, Mother, everyone... dead. I was too weak, I couldn't save them... I couldn't save myself. I tried to hide, to spot an opening to launch a final offensive, but the building collapsed. It was like when I fought the Red Giant and you saved me - I was trapped... an Iron Giant killed me.."

Squall pulled her into him in a tight embrace. He never would have done this six years ago, but since Rinoa came into his life, it had changed him for the better. He could empathize and communicate slightly better than he used to be able to, and this was clearly a time where that came in useful.

**Squall**: "I couldn't sleep either. My body is getting used to the GF again, and even without them being there, I haven't been able to sleep since the fight with Adel. She ripped my mind to pieces and set free an inner demon which I was not ready to face again."

**Tarbella**: "Ultimecia?"

Squall nodded

**Squall**: "She has been helping me find myself again in a way, but she is also exacting her revenge on me for killing her. She taunts me and reminds me of all the bad things which have happened and which could happen. The only good thing is, she is a wealth of knowledge. I think Angel knows that which is why she seems to be content with leaving me to work things out myself. I think she wants me to find out what Ultimecia knows and see what I have hidden in myself..."

Tarbella moved her hair from in front of her face. She put her arms around Squall and rested her head on his shoulder.

**Squall**: "Thing is, its too much for me to handle alone... I feel so isolated in there and she is not the company I would like to keep mentally"

Squall stood up. He stretched his arm out and Tarbella held onto it, pulling herself up. She sat down on the column and pulled Squall down next to her. As he sat down, she sat closer to him this time, holding his hand in both of hers tightly.

**Tarbella**: "Thank you Squall"

Squall looked down at her. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. He wanted to say something, anything, but something inside him told him otherwise. Instead he simply stayed silent.

**Tarbella**: "I know it is hard for you to express yourself and for you to be close to others... I appreciate you being here for me, I really do Squall."

Squall remained silent

**Tarbella**: "We haven't known each other long... But you make me feel stronger, safer. I feel I can take anyone on when I am with you. I may not always win, Adel did kill me... But I wouldn't have done that if it wasn't because you were in trouble. You give me strength Squall, I can't thank you enough."

She let go of his hand and stood up. She looked out at the ocean for a moment before looking back over her shoulder at the silent mercenary. She smiled at him as he stood up and walked over to her. She slipped her arms around him again and hugged him tightly. It reminded him of Rinoa and when she used to do that to him. He liked how familiar and comfortable it felt.

**Squall**: "Thank you for looking out for me... I probably would have died if you didn't help me back in the ruins. I probably would have died if you didn't help me against Adel... You saved my life twice... I can't thank you enough"

Tarbella looked up at Squall. Her brown eyes met his blue eyes and they lingered there. Both of them speaking without making a sound. It was like a connection had formed between them. The silence lingered, not an unwelcome one, but it was awkward. Tarbella broke the silence

**Tarbella**: "Squall..."

She spoke his name. As she did he blinked, breaking them both out of their 'trance'. He went to speak again, but before he could answer, she moved her left hand up his back and cupped the back of his head in her hand. She dug her fingers into his hair and held on tightly as she pulled his face closer to hers. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his. Squall closed his eyes and let his hands drop to her hips. He held onto her waist tightly, completely surrendering himself to her in this moment. Although it seemed like minutes had passed, it was only several seconds when Squall pulled away from the kiss. He shook his head for a moment and distanced himself from the Centran. A multitude of thoughts raced through his mind. He didn't feel right because he didn't know what had become of Rinoa, but at the same time, he felt so secure and comfortable. It felt right when she held him and kissed him.

**Tarbella**: "I'm sor.."

Squall pressed his finger against her lips. Tarbella looked up at him once again and this time he made the first move. He moved his finger from her mouth, running it down her bottom lip, teasing her before he pulled her up close to him. He held onto her by the waist and the head and kissed her back. This time he surrendered himself to her completely. He let her push him backwards against the low broken wall. Squall lost his footing and fell backwards onto the grass behind it. As he fell back, Tarbella held onto him tightly and landed on top of him. They looked into each others eyes and smiled at each other under the light of the moon. Over their heads a shooting star passed them by. As the couple kissed once more neither of them noticed it but someone else present did. Angel stood at the end of the garden, watching them. She smiled as the shooting star overhead passed them.

**Angel**: "The heavens have blessed him again it seems"

* * *

A/N: Sorry Squinoa fans. This has been building for a few chapters now.


	24. Chapter 24 - A new Journey begins

The pair of them broke away for their passionate kissing and embrace on the floor. They smiled at each other, hesitantly at first but as the seconds passed, the smile they had become genuine. They were happy. Squall looked away first - he looked to the sky and saw a shooting star making its way across the heavens. He looked up at it, speeding through the sky and the memories came flooding back to him. He was there, in the grand hall of Balamb Garden, alone in a room full of people, the way he liked it. He saw the object searing through the night sky and it was that which led him on the start of his journey into life, love and adulthood. The same object was saw by Rinoa, the girl who ambushed him, forced him to interact and eventually thawed him out and broke his armour. It was a special moment for them. He saw what he thought was the same thing in the skies again the night of the celebration after they survived the time compression event. He remembered her touch, her taste, the warmness of her hands on his body. The softness of her lips and the way she smiled as they both saw the star above and shared their first real kiss with each other. That time it signaled the start of his journey with the sorceress as her knight. What did the sighting of it this time signal though? He had so many questions. He was almost unaware that Tarbella was trying to talk to him.

**Tarbella**: "Squall... Are you ok?"

She looked up at him, his eyes fixed on the shooting star and she said no more. She may not have known the significance of the shooting star, but his reaction to it said enough. She let go of him and backed away. Pulling herself from on top of him, she stood up slowly, giving him some space and time to absorb what had just happened and work it out in his mind. She climbed over the low, broken wall and walked across to the other wall near it, the one overlooking the path down to the beach. Her hair fluttered in the sea breeze, exposing her face to the moonlight. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for several seconds before she slowly exhaled. She was shaking, not from the cold, but from the emotions and nervousness. It felt like her first kiss all over again. Her hands trembled as she grabbed hold of the wall, trying to steady herself. She grabbed it too tight though and grazed her palm. The stinging sensation was only a minor irritation and something which didn't require any attention. What did require attention was the rising storm of thoughts smashing against her skull. She was attracted to Squall, she felt that way since she first met him. For someone who had been out in the wilderness for two years, he was reasonably well-kept. She had seen pictures of him from round the time he had gone missing and he looked exactly the same, no excessive hair growth, no facial hair. He was perfect, immaculate. It didn't make much sense to her, but now, the only thing Tarbella wanted to make sense of was him.

Squall still lay there on the grass. Looking up at the star cutting through the night sky. His mind kept drifting towards Rinoa, but every time it did, he found himself pushing them thoughts away. Was it through guilt? Did he feel he had betrayed Rinoa by kissing Tarbella? He wanted to feel guilty but he didn't. All he felt was relief. It puzzled him. The voices in his head were silent too - the guardians were sleeping more than likely, recovering their strength for the upcoming challenges and Ultimecia who had taken great pleasure in taunting him was muted too. He wondered if Siren had initially had something to do with that at first, but he realized that not even a God could silence that sorceress. He shook his head and sighed. He loved Rinoa, he wished to be by her side again as her lover and her knight, but he knew that the two years could have changed everything. If anything, the past few days had taught him he needed to make the most of that he had available to him. He shook his head and closed his eyes one last time as he lay there on the floor. He whispered Rinoa's name one last time before he opened his eyes again. He pushed himself up off the floor and onto his feet. He looked over towards the coast. Tarbella was sat there on the wall. He climbed over the wall and walked towards her. He got within several feet of her before she stopped him

**Tarbella**: "You didn't answer me..."

**Squall**: "I'm sorry. I don't know what to say."

Tarbella turned around to face him. With her back to the moon and the ocean beneath her, if she had 'let her wings spread' she would have looked like a genuine angel or Goddess. He brown hair rested on her shoulders whilst the stray bits which didn't sit right fluttered in the breeze. Her pale skin was radiant in the night, the simple white dress she wore with the dark blue skirt was simple but perfect. She stood there, silently watching him. He lowered his head and placed his hand against his forehead. She could see he was thinking, trying to arrange his thoughts so he could explain why he reacted the way he did. She did want to hear an explanation, but given how intimate they had just been, she couldn't bring herself to hear it. She knew it had something to do with Rinoa and at the moment, that was the last thing she wanted to hear about. There was every chance his 'love' was still alive, but her lover was dead. He might find Rinoa and they might have their happily ever after, but she wouldn't. She couldn't.

**Squall**: "The last two times I saw a shooting star, it signaled the arrival of a new journey or a new experience. The first time I saw the star, it was when I first became a SeeD... The second time I saw the star, it was when we had defeated Ultimecia"

Tarbella smiled. She knew there was more to the story than what Squall was letting on. He probably knew that she felt there was more to the story, but the fact she didn't press him for answers surprised him initially. She looked at his confused expression and laughed to herself. She thought about toying with him some more, but as she looked into his eyes, she didn't see the 'Legendary SeeD' or the man some Galbadians had called a monster or devil for his exploits in battle. All she could see was a man, lost in his mind, his emotions conflicted. She held her hand out towards him and waited. He stepped forwards and took her hand in his. He pulled her towards him, wrapping his other arm around her, holding her close to him once again and he closed his eyes. She placed her head against his chest and closed her eyes, focusing on his breathing and listening to his heartbeat. She was still shaking but it wasn't as noticable now. He ran his hand gently down her back, caressing her spine with his fingers. His touch made her feel safe, it made her feel comfortable. She hadn't felt like this for a long time and she didn't want the feeling to go away anytime soon.

**Tarbella**: "Can we stay like this for a little while longer?"

Squall opened his eyes and looked down at Tarbella. She had her eyes closed and she was pressed firmly against him. He could feel her limbs shaking slightly as she tried to remain calm. He let go of her hand and used his free hand to caress her cheek. He wiped a tear away which was forming from the corner of her eye before he placed his fingers underneath her chin and gently turned her head and gently lifted it up so he could see her face. She opened her eyes, they were red round the edges but the deep brown was still vibrant. He looked into them and spoke to her.

**Squall**: "If you want to stay like this for a little while longer we can. Would you prefer to go indoors though? It is warmer and we will get shouted at if we stay outside all night."

Tarbella smiled. She stepped away from Squall and walked towards the building. Squall watched her head towards the door and smiled to himself. She turned around to look at him, as if to say "are you coming or what?". Squall slowly walked towards her. He was still conflicted about Rinoa and whether he should have done what he did, but at the same time he remembered what Ultimecia had told him - he had to take control of his destiny now."Fate is fate. There is no escaping it. It is my destiny to fight Chaos. I can't control that, but I can control what happens between now and then. Squall caught up to the Centran as she held the door open for him. They both walked into the living room area of the building and sat down by the fire. Angel was sat at the other end of the room, she was reading an old book and pretended not to notice the pair walk in. Squall looked over at her as Tarbella sat down by the fire. Angel looked up at him and didn't say anything, she didn't have to. Squall then watched her eyes move towards Tarbella who was busy warming herself by the fire. Squall's eyes met Angels again and for a moment he heard her voice.

**Angel**: (Inside Squall's mind) "Thank you Squall"

**Squall**: "For what?"

**Angel**: "For looking after her."

**Squall**: "...Whatever"

Angel smirked to herself. Squall noticed this and shook his head.

**Angel**: (Inside Squall's mind) "Don't try and brush it off Squall. You're not the distant lone wolf anymore. You proved that a long time ago and tonight, you just proved it to yourself again."

**Squall**: "I just did what I felt was right"

Angel: "Just promise me one thing - be careful. Don't hurt each other. Neither of you know what you want right now or where you are... If you do decide to make a go of something, make sure it is what you both want"

Squall didn't need to say anything else. He knew the situation and he was sure Tarbella did too. He walked towards the fire and sat down opposite Tarbella. They both turned to look at Angel.

**Angel**: "So the GF are awake then?"

**Squall**: "Yes, they want to speak to you too"

**Angel**: "I understand. Would you unjunction them when you are adjusted again so I may converse with them?"

Squall nodded.

**Squall**: "They mentioned something about weapons and artifacts"

Angel didn't answer. Her face went into a cold stare at the mention of ancient weaponry. Squall thought about pressing her for information but he realized that at this hour it wouldn't be wise. Instead he opted to do so in the morning. He stood up from his place by the fire and bid the two women farewell before he retired to his bed. As he left the room, Tarbella looked at Angel.

**Tarbella**: "You saw us didn't you?"

**Angel**: "Yes... I'm glad you are happy with what has happened tonight, just be careful though. Its a complicated situation and there are too many variables"

**Tarbella**: "But right now, there is only me and him... I'd rather live in the moment than try to work out whats gonna happen in a few weeks down the line. Who's to say Squall just doesn't decide to go right into Esthar and take on Chaos?"

Angel had thought Squall might have done something rash like that to save his friends from facing a God so she stressed the importance of teamwork and back up to him.

**Tarbella**: "Wait... you let me and Squall hook up so he'd have someone to help didn't you?"

**Angel**: "no! I'd never do that. But it has helped us somewhat, he is forming alliances and discovering who he is again"

**Tarbella**: "Just.. stop worrying about us ok? Squall's gonna be fine!"

**=...=**

The following morning, Squall woke up. He had slept undisturbed that night since he took his dive in the ocean. Even Ultimecia had been peaceful. Maybe Leviathan and Siren had silenced her or maybe she was pushed to the back of his mind given the nights activities - the kiss under the moonlight with Tarbella. He couldn't deny it happened, he was fully aware of what had happened and what he was doing, and originally he felt strange about it, but after a night of undisturbed sleep, it seemed almost right. She was stunningly beautiful, she cared a lot and had proved it by sacrificing herself in trying to save his life. She was looking out for him and she was desperately trying to move on with her life. He wanted to explain to her about the shooting star, but he knew every time Rinoa's name was mentioned, she would shy away or divert attention from it. He tried to diplomatically say it without her name, but he knew she realized it was linked to her. She got changed, picked up his gunblade and headed out. He walked down the garden path towards the entrance of the orphanage and carefully pushed the gates open. He didn't know if any of the local monsters would be out and about round here, but he had to try to get some training in to make sure everything was in working order with the firing mechanism. As he headed off in search of a target, Tarbella stood at the doorway watching. She had followed him out as far as the doorway, trying to get his attention but when she saw the gunblade in his hand, she knew he was going out to train. She followed him as far as the edge of the orphanage and stood there, watching him in the early morning mist practicing his swings. Both of them were unaware of a man clad in white watching them both from a nearby hill. He pressed down a button on his radio

_"I have visual, its him. Proceed with take down?"_

_"Negative, stay watching, we do not know what the plan is yet"_

_"Copy. Proceeding to lighthouse to observe at safe distance, will report findings in 24 hours time"_


	25. Chapter 25 - The calm

Domaj was a member of the White SeeDs, the counterparts to the Black SeeD who were based in Garden. For a time they were known as Edea's SeeD - charged with guarding her then tasked with helping to defeat her in any way possible. Since the Ultimecia incident though, they simply trained and sailed the oceans, helping out those in need and occasionally maintaining contact with Garden. They ensured they kept contact with the outside world, but unlike Garden who for a while harboured the sorceress Rinoa, they stayed true to their purpose, training to be ready for the day when another corrupted sorceress rose up and tried to take control of the world. Only this time, it wasn't a sorceress they were preparing to face, but the very man who lead the mission to topple a sorceress - Squall Leonhart.

Domaj ran his fingers through his hair, it was sandy brown and very fine. It hung down across his face in places but never went past the nape of his neck in length. He recounted the past few days to himself - he had made landfall in the Lenown plains round roughly the same time Squall and Tarbella had assaulted the Estharian outpost in the main part of Centra. His plan was simple - make it to the orphanage to set up a forward operating base for the SeeDs and to report in if there was any sighting of Squall. He was the best tracker for land based missions on the ship so when the chance came for him to get his feet on dry land he was more than prepared for it. He moved at a slow and steady pace across the plains towards the Cape of Good Hope he remembered how his captain had been contacted in secret by Cid, the former headmaster of Garden who had tasked his group with finding Squall, but only finding him. They were ordered not to engage him at any cost, probably a wise move given how fearsome he was in battle. Today though, it changed everything. He had reached the Orphanage last night and he was certain he saw signs of activity there, but when he spotted Squall training with his gunblade in the open, making no attempts to hide, he knew things would be difficult if he was spotted or sensed, but he had to observe him. He watched as he trained with the blade on some of the local monsters. His technique was flawless and the destruction his strikes unleashed made him shiver. He wished that there was no chance he would have to confront him, but he knew that sooner or later, whilst waiting for the SeeDs to meet him, he might have to. He radioed in the ship once more.

**Domaj**: "Requesting pick-up. Will stay in holding position to observe and report where appropriate."

**Ship**: "Confirmed. Is he alone?"

**Domaj**: "Negative, there are two women with him"

**Ship**: "I see, wait in the lighthouse when safe to move, signal us from there and keep watch where possible. Stay safe"

**=Nightfall=**

Domaj sat in the lighthouse. He lit a small fire out of sight so he could keep warm and avoid detection and waited with his radio. He had already reported in that he had made it to the lighthouse and he was waiting for the ship to meet them. He wondered why they had been asked to simply observe him though. One correct raid and they could easily overpower the occupants of the house in the middle of the night. He wondered what Cid wanted with Squall, did he want to use him to get Garden back and active again after Esthar crushed it? Did he want to hide him further from the world? Did Cid know something everyone else didn't? Too many questions and now, with his target so close, was not the time to be asking himself them.

Inside the house, Squall was asleep. He had spent most of the day training and assisting Tarbella with her magic. He had spent the day deflecting Aero-blades - aero spells she had managed to compress and throw like knives. Some had caught him, cutting his arms slightly, but the rest he had successfully deflected with his sword. The two were close that day, but they didn't have much interaction in terms of talking. It was mostly non-verbal between them, their bodies were giving off mixed signals. They both wanted each other, but were both unsure how to proceed after the encounter under the shooting star and the moon. As he slept, his mind drifted like it always did, he dreamed of the flower field, something he had done almost every night since he suddenly regained consciousness after the two year black spot. As he stood watching the scene, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

**Ultimecia**: "So you have decided to go with your instincts then?"

Squall looked at the sorceress who inhabited his mind. He was confused but didn't say anything, instead he waited for her to indicate what she meant. Ultimecia simply sighed and gestured towards the scene he was re-living in his mind. This time though, it was different. Instead of him holding onto Rinoa, it was Tarbella with him.

**Squall**: "I don't know what 'I went with'. I just did what I felt was right at the time"

**Ultimecia**: "Self preservation. You love Rinoa, but you fear that after two years, she has gone. Her knight abandoned her, she has new friends... You want to move on in case she has, but you hope she hasn't."

**Squall**: "If she has, she has. I will still be her knight regardless, I swore to defend her"

**Ultimecia**: "Even if she has moved on and forgot about you? Would your determination to honour the promise be the thing which could cause us issues with Chaos? If you abandon everything at the first sighting of Rinoa, you might cost everyone in the battle against Chaos"

**Squall**: "That won't happen - we will win."

Ultimecia was intrigued.

**Ultimecia**: "Confidence? You are taking on a God remember, a God which was barely defeated by Hyne! What makes you so sure you can beat a God?"

**Squall**: "You were almost a God when we defeated you six years ago... God is just the next level. If we beat a demi-god, a god is no problem"

Ultimecia shook her head. He had a point, she was almost a god when they attacked her castle, they fought to the very last one, believing in each other, helping each other. Their bonds of friendship kept them strong despite her power.

**Ultimecia**: "I was only halfway to god when you defeated me. Chaos IS a God. There is a massive difference between the two"

**Squall**: "I'll find a way, I always do. Its my destiny, my fate"

**Ultimecia**: "So you finally accept your role?"

Squall shook his head

**Squall**: "No, I only acknowledge it. I might be destined to face Chaos, but my fate is my own. If I choose to face him on my own terms then my fate is in my hands. You reminded me about that... You told me I may have a destiny, but how I arrive at it and what I do is my will. I make my own fate, and my fate is to find a way to defeat chaos."

Ultimecia looked at him, he seemed more sure about himself compared to their last encounter. Maybe with the guardians coming back, they helped him find his will and determination once more, coupled with having someone to fight with and protect. Squall always played the lone wolf role, but you could see how much it meant to him to have companions and a cause to fight for.

**Ultimecia**: "How will you beat chaos then?"

**Squall**: "I'll find a way, I always do"

Squall looked at Ultimecia who was deep in thought.

**Ultimecia**: "If you want to beat chaos, you have to beat Adel... Do you think you can do that? Last time she was too powerful for you"

Squall grimaced at the memory of her torturing him in his own mind and then killing Tarbella effortlessly.

**Squall**: "I think with the guardians back, and maybe with your help, I can do it this time"

**Ultimecia**: "My help?"

**Squall**: "You said it yourself, you're stuck in here. If you ever want out or to be free, you need me alive or a God to have mercy on you right?"

**Ultimecia**: "True, but how do you know Chaos won't want me when he fights you?"

Squall's response was harsh but straight to the point

**Squall**: "He would have brought you instead of Adel. In the future you may be all powerful, but in our time, you don't even exist now, you are only here because of me, and your powers are fairly limited. You are no use to a God when you can't exist in any other form than a living memory"

Ultimecia was stunned into silence as Squall turned away from her and looked over to where Leviathan stood.

**Squall**: "If I have bruised your ego, deal with it. Like it or not, you're on our side now so you will be helping me with Adel. You might be powerless now, but your name, you shadow, it still inspires fear, but only in those who fear you."

**Ultimecia**: "You feared me"

**Squall**: "Exactly. Feared. I know you now, you are a part of me, part of me I know I have conquered."

Leviathan observed the interaction between the two and smiled.

**Leviathan**:_ [to himself]_ "He has grown stronger in our absence, he stands tall, proud, everything a warrior should be."

As Squall's image in his subconsciousness faded, Leviathan approached Ultimecia.

**Ultimecia**: "What did you make of him then old man?"

**Leviathan**: "His fire burns bright again. He might just be the one to bring everyone together and topple Chaos"

**Ultimecia**: "But he doesn't have the blood of a God in him, only Angel does"

**Leviathan**: "But if he can strike fear into Chaos, even for a split second, Angel can fight him or pass her power on to him so he may fight him."

**Ultimecia**: "He lacks decisiveness though. He is torn over his loyalties"

**Leviathan**: "That is a concern, but the sorceress of the past and the sorceress of now... they share the same knight, he will protect them both"

**Ultimecia**: "I hope so, he will need everyone he can call a friend to help win this battle"

Leviathan's mood suddenly changed. His eyes narrowed and he looked up as if he was looking at the sky.

**Leviathan**: "We're being watched... One person, unfamiliar presence, nearby... Squall might not be able to hear this, but I am fairly certain he will find this watcher soon... I have a feeling something big is about to happen soon."

**=Night=**

Squall woke up, he felt a faint buzzing sensation, Leviathan was stirring but he couldn't quite grasp what the old man was trying to tell him. He pushed himself out of the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. he wasn't sweating as much as what he was the night before as his body tried to deal with the presence of the GF again. He wiped the small traces of sweat from his forehead and walked to the window. He looked out at the night and for a moment he thought he saw a shadow near the lighthouse. It was too dark to clearly see it, but he felt that something was definitely out there. For a moment, Squall turned to the gunblade. His hand hovered over its handle, debating whether to grab it and to investigate or to just leave it and wait till morning. Deciding on the later, the SeeD left the room. He headed towards the kitchen where typical to form, Angel was sat. There was something odd about her, she never seemed to sleep. He pulled up a stool and sat opposite her.

**Squall**: "Do you ever sleep?"

**Angel**: "I have no need to"

Squall looked at her. Most, if not all humans needed to sleep, but there was something about this woman which did not seem normal at all. She managed to freely move through time, like Ultimecia almost, compressing time and moving through it, making a journey which would normally take days take seconds.

**Squall**: "You are more than a sorceress aren't you?"

Angel flashed him a smile before she looked into his eyes. As their eyes met, Squall could have sworn he saw her eyes change from blue to yellow but he couldn't say for certain. Those eyes looked so familiar to him but he couldn't seem to place it.

**Angel**: "Have any of your memories returned yet?"

**Squall**: "No, every time I try to sleep, all I get is Ultimecia questioning my every move, showing me things which aren't real"

**Angel**: "I understand... Have you spoken to her recently?"

**Squall**: "I asked her to help me... I will need her to help me prepare for when I face Adel again."

**Angel**: "What makes you so certain you will face Adel?"

Squall looked at her confused.

**Squall**: "Adel works with Chaos, I will no doubt fight her again"

**Angel**: "That battle is not yours to face child. Fate has other plans for you, Adel is not one of them."

**Squall**: "Then who... Who will fight Adel?"

Angel rose to her feet. She looked out the window at the landscape and her eyes drifted towards the lighthouse. She wished she could tell him, but if she did, then the whole plan which had been laid out in her mind would no doubt crumble. Squall didn't take risks with other peoples lives, only his own. If he knew she planned for his friends to take on Adel, he would no doubt run off himself to try and take her down... And he would fail again.

**Angel**: "You will find them soon enough. Tomorrow, you and Angel will head for Winhill. There you will find a way to answer the questions you need answering"

**Squall**: "Can't you answer my questions now?"

**Angel**: "Sadly no. Only one person can unlock your mind. You need to find her and then find yourself before we can find what we need to defeat Chaos"

Squall pounded his fist on the table. He was frustrated, he felt like he was trapped in a never-ending circle of confusion and half-truths. He wished someone could just be straight with him and tell him what was going on, but the only person who could do didn't know enough to help. He sighed as Angel calmly watched him.

**Angel**: "Tomorrow, I suggest you visit the lighthouse. Look at this from a new perspective, it might help"

Squall wanted to ask but he knew another riddle would be presented to him.

**Squall**: "Ok. Is there anything I need to know about Winhill?"

**Angel**: "If you ask Leviathan nicely, it may help ferry you towards the continent. Once you reach land, remember that Galbadia are also hunting you. You are a marked man, be careful"

Squall nodded. He wished he could get the truth, but at least he had recovered enough to be able to fight at full strength again. Squall bid Angel farewell and headed towards his room once more. Tomorrow was the chance to finally start his journey towards getting his memory back and finding a way to defeat Chaos. The news Winhill would yield results for him made him more relaxed. As he climbed back into bed, he closed his eyes and instead of being greeted by a voice, he was greeted by nothing, just the sound of the ocean crashing against the rocks and the stillness of the night air.

Squall would finally sleep it seemed.


	26. Chapter 26 - The Storm

**.=. August 23rd, 6 A.C .=.**

_"Happy Birthday to me"_

Squall wished himself a happy birthday. He was surprised he remembered the day given how he was still suffering memory problems. He slipped out of the orphanage, wearing a white shirt, a less ruined leather jacket than the one he had recently had destroyed on him, and a pair of leather pants and lionheart by his side. Angel had told him last night he should check the lighthouse, see things from that perspective and maybe he would find out a way to get to Winhill without trying to summon Leviathan and asking the serpent to ferry them. The cold morning air made him shiver as he walked towards the imposing white tower, but there was also some anticipation. Something had been bugging at him whenever he looked at it. It was almost like a warning, Leviathan stirred every time his eyes passed in its direction and even Angel seemed to place emphasis on the lighthouse. As his steps got closer to the structure the hairs on the back of his neck started to stand on end. He instinctively reached for lionheart, taking it in both his hands. He slowly approached the door with his gunblade drawn. He pressed himself up against the wall to the right hand side of the door and took a deep breath. He didn't know what was beyond it, but he knew he had to get in there. He carefully pressed against the door. It slowly creaked open.

_"Shit. There goes any chance of surprise now"_

Squall slipped through the gap and made his way towards the shadows in the poorly illuminated entrance. His eyes darted round, trying to see any disturbances or signs of recent habitation but there was none which he could make out easily. He slowly made his way to the staircase which clung to the wall and ran along the wall, turning with the building till it reached the top. He crept up it, step by step, carefully holding lionheart up in front of him. It was too narrow to swing, but he could defend with it until he got to the top of the structure. As he made his way up, he could hear a faint voice. Someone had been watching them; the shadow he saw in the night was real. Squall tightened his grip on the gunblade's handle as he listened in on the radio chatter.

_"Are you near? I may have been compromised. Unsure as to who has made it into the building... Ok... Yes, I see you. Proceed with evacuation plan? Copy"_

Squall charged up the stairs. He kicked the door open which lead to the roof of the lighthouse attempting to get the drop on its occupant, but he was unsuccessful. As the door flew open, the man ran through it with his dagger. The smaller weapon had the advantage in this situation, Squall couldn't strike with his gunblade but he could block. He held the gunblade across his body and deflected the first lunge before he shoved him back with his shoulder. The man staggered backwards and looked at Squall. He didn't smile, nor did he show fear. He just watched, ready for his attack.

**Squall: **"A White SeeD? What are you doing here?"

Domaj didn't answer. Instead he held the dagger tightly in his hands and made another pass at Squall. The SeeD again deflected his blows with the gunblade, but a follow up strike managed to catch his forearm - drawing blood. Squall cursed under his breath and put his gunblade aside. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight with it freely in the control room, he would instead have to fight bare handed. He brought his hands up to either side of his head, keeping them ready to strike or block. Domaj made the first strike again. He moved in with another lunge. Squall shuffled backwards, avoiding the tip of the knife and retaliated with a right hook. His fist smashed into the side of the other man's face, knocking him slightly off balance. As he staggered backwards, Squall stepped in and went low, hitting a powerful sucker punch into the man's gut. The blade dropped from his hand as he fell backwards into the wall of the control room.

**Squall: **"What are you doing here? Why do you follow me?"

Domaj ignored him again. This time the SeeD reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cylinder. He looked out the window and smiled before he pulled the cover off the object and slammed it down on the floor. A Thick red smoke filled the room which was accompanied by an iluminous red light. Squall shielded his eyes and coughed as the signal flare temporarily disabled him. Domaj kicked the door open to the outside and let the smoke flow out. He knew they were coming, at least this way they could he was alive still. The White SeeD ran round the top of the lighthouse and stopped in front of the railing. He reached down and picked up the rope he had left tied to one of the posts and threw it over the side. He had already planned his escape in case this situation he was currently in happened. Wasting no time, Domaj held onto the rope and worked his way down. As he reached the floor he made a run for the coast.

**Squall: **"Shit, lost him"

Squall stumbled out from the lighthouse onto the balcony. As he coughed and rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision and get some measure of composure back, Squall looked across the skyline. His eyes narrowed and he stepped back before slamming his fist down onto the railing - the White SeeD ship was in the bay behind the house. His mind raced, were they trying to ambush them? Were they hunting Angel and Tarbella? Was he their target? Not wasting any time, Squall retreated to the control room and picked up lionheart. He ran down the stairs with only one destination on his mind - the orphanage. He had to protect Tarbella and Angel at all costs.

**=...=...=**

Tarbella ran out of the house, Angel close behind her. They saw the flash of red light in the lighthouse and the red smoke and knew something was going to happen. As they made it into the courtyard they saw the White SeeD ship approaching. Tarbella ignored it and made the run towards the lighthouse whilst Angel stayed there. She pulled her staff out and extended it and stood there like a sentry, guarding the house. Tarbella looked over her shoulder at Angel and stopped.

**Tarbella:** "Are you coming?"

**Angel:** "No! Find Squall; try to sneak onto the ship which is just turning up. I will hold here and try to divert their attention. Be wary though, there are two strong presences on that ship. It will not be easy"

Tarbella nodded and turned back towards the lighthouse, as she ran towards it Angel closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and slammed the pole down onto the floor.

"Edea, Seifer... I knew you would come"

Angel opened her eyes and waited for the upcoming attack. She didn't want to hurt the White SeeD, they would be essential in the fight against Chaos but she had to fight them still. She held her ground and waited for them to come for her.

**=...=...=**

**Squall:** "Tarbella, you're ok! Where is Angel?"

Tarbella hugged Squall as she found him. She looked up at him with a smile on her face; he had shown concern for her.

**Tarbella:** "Angel said she's going to be the bait for us. She'll hold the house; we can then infiltrate the ship"

Squall nodded. As he thought about how they would do it, the voice of Ultimecia rang in his ears.

**Ultimecia: [In squall's head**] "I don't like doing this when you're awake... so I'll make this quick. Watch out, that ship has a sorceress. Her power might not be as strong as it used to be, but be weary."

Squall shuddered at the thought of facing another sorceress no matter how weak or strong they were. He looked at Tarbella who could sense some discomfort from him.

**Squall: **"There is a sorceress on board..."

Tarbella's face went pale.

**Tarbella: **"How do you know?"

Squall tapped his head

**Squall: **"Got one living in my mind, she's kind of in tune with those things for some reason. We need to come up with a plan on carrying this raid out."

**Tarbella: **"I guess we need to take the ship in working condition, so GF assault is out of the question"

**Squall: **"We can go in quiet, Soon as we get on board, we go loud. No doubt the majority will storm the house looking for us right?"

**Tarbella: **"Angel will hold them off, meaning we can get the drop on the command and force surrender"

Squall nodded. He did a quick check of his junctions. He didn't have any magic which was useful in combat left, only restorative or junctioned magic's. He was going to have to use all his skill to win this fight. He looked at Tarbella who was watching the ship closely. As ten SeeDs left it, they advanced. Creeping along the shoreline, ducking down behind rocks where possible, they went over their plan once again.

Squall: "I'll get on the ship, as soon as I get on deck, you go loud. Hit them with status spells from the air using your wings. Cause chaos. It should bring the commander and the sorceress up. As soon as they get topside get Angel over, we'll need her help with the sorceress"

**Tarbella:** "Got it"

**=...=...=**

Angel looked towards the beach. She saw the SeeDs approaching her position. She spun the staff round above her head and adopted a combat ready stance. She wouldn't kill them, but she wouldn't make it easy on them either.

**Angel:** "Come; let me see what the children of Edea are capable of"

The SeeDs spread out and slowly advanced on the woman, completely unaware that they were going toe to toe with a deity.

**=...=...=**

Squall closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and started to focus his mind. He pushed all other thoughts aside and directed his focus towards his mission. Tarbella watched him as he ran forwards towards the ship. Using the strength of Leviathan, he crouched down for a moment before he jumped up towards the ship. He managed to catch hold of one of the lower windows on the hull and used that to pull himself up the side of the vessel till he reached the deck. As he peered over the edge, he saw one of the SeeDs approaching his location. Squall held his breath and dropped down momentarily. He waited for the SeeD to reach the side before he struck. He pulled himself up, grabbed the SeeD by the scruff of his neck with one arm and dragged him over the side. As he hit the surface of the water, Squall climbed up onto the vessel. He drew Lionheart and used its surface to reflect the sun, making it flash for a moment.

**Tarbella: **"That's the signal!"

Tarbella's wings unfolded once more. Using her magical strength, she elevated herself from the ground and kept rising. She would only be able to use weaker spells whilst putting this much energy into staying in the air, but that wasn't a problem, she was only there to cause mayhem whilst Squall cleaned up on deck. She extended her arms and cast a thunder spell at the deck. The sparks of magic cracked loudly as the SeeDs turned their attention.

**SeeD: "AMBUSH! IT'S A SORCERESS! ALL HANDS ON DECK!"**

As the White SeeDs started to filter up onto the deck, Squall moved in. He didn't want to kill them unless he absolutely had to. He took a defensive stance as the SeeD's came at him with their short swords and daggers. He used the edge of Lionheart to deflect their blows, angling the sword to let the strikes slide down the blade each time. He never struck with the blade, only parried and defended. The first SeeD made a lunge at him, Squall let the blow get nearer before he stepped backwards and knocked the blade to the side. As the SeeD's momentum carried him through, Squall brought the sword up and smashed the handle of it into the SeeD's face, knocking him out cold. Another SeeD tried to lunge in with a blow, but he ducked under it and kicked the sword out of his hand before hitting him with the blunt edge of the blade in the stomach, incapacitating him.

**SeeD:** "He's not trying to kill us... why? They said he was insane and responsible for all the trouble over the past few years?"

As some of the SeeD's stood back watching Squall take on their comrades with non-lethal force, Tarbella got the drop on them. She cast a sleep spell on each of them before she made her landing on the boat. She let her aero-spells augment her arms once again and she joined in the combat. She moved just as quick as the SeeDs did, her hands were fast and they hit hard when she connected with her blows. The Wind energy made space for her to move, each successful blow released an Aero spell, sending her foe backwards. Tarbella fought her way across the ship towards Squall who had successfully cleared some space for himself to work with. He looked forwards, at the other end of the ship stood the leader of the White SeeDs.

**Captain: **"Leave my men; this is between you and me now Leonhart"

Squall nodded and readied his sword. The captain pulled out his rapier and bowed respectfully to the SeeD. Squall did the same and looked him in the eyes.

**Squall: **"It has been a long time Jacob... Why do you seek me?"

**Jacob: **"I was tasked with finding you. An old friend called in a favour."

**Squall: **"Is this good or bad?"

**Jacob:** "Sadly I cannot say. I was ordered to bring you in alive and I will do so. My honor dictates it. Brace yourself Black SeeD"

Squall nodded. He readied his sword and prepared for battle. The Captain was quick. He worked his way towards Squall with feints and lunges, trying to break through his guard with each strike. Squall knew he couldn't fight him whilst holding back but he didn't want to injure him either. He deflected a blow and followed it up with an overhead swing which the captain successfully blocked. In a quick move, he ducked in towards Squall and tried to drop down and deliver a low strike to his legs, but Squall brought the gunblade down, knocking the rapier away from him. He pushed back against the captain and went for a horizontal strike with the captain deflected upwards with a rising blow and then almost connected with a flick of his wrist and a quick follow on lunge. Squall narrowly evaded the blade and countered with a kick. The strike caught the captain off guard who moved backwards, avoiding the follow up sword strike. It was hypnotizing to watch, that was until a scream broke their concentration. Both men turned around to the back of the ship where they saw Tarbella being held with a gunblade to her neck by a tall man wearing a plain white kabuki mask, a long grey trench coat and wielding a gunblade.

_"Sorry Captain but if you want to beat this guy, you have to fight dirty sometimes. Murderer, put down the gunblade or I put down your witch"_

Squall cursed through his teeth. He didn't want to give up, he had to protect them, but at the same time, he couldn't let Tarbella come to any harm.

**Jacob: **"I am sorry one of my guests has to resort to such dishonourable methods, but I do believe you are defeated now. Please surrender and come with us, I promise whilst you are with me, no harm will come to you"

**Squall: **"I can't. You know this."

Tarbella looked at the blade; it was barely an inch from her throat. She felt uncomfortable in this position, she was vulnerable and she knew one wrong move would be her end. She looked over to Squall and nodded. Squall shook his head and held his sword out in the direction of Tarbella and the man holding her hostage.

**Squall: **"I offer you a suggestion Captain. I fight him one on one. If he defeats me, I surrender."

Tarbella shook her head as she heard her captor laughing.

**Jacob: **"And if you defeat him?"

**Squall: **"You take me and my friend to Winhill. Then you stop pursuing us"

Jacob looked at the masked man who lowered his sword. He pushed Tarbella aside and started to walk forwards. Squall couldn't make out his eyes, but the weapon he held and the way he walked - full of arrogance, it was familiar.

**Jacob: **"It looks like your challenge has been accepted."

Squall nodded. He backed away, as did the other SeeD on the deck. They looked on as the two gunblade users stood opposite each other. Both of them held their weapons tightly and their eyes met. There was about to be a full blown storm in the bay, and it would be on the deck of the White SeeD ship.

**Tarbella: [to herself] "**Please, be safe Squall"


	27. Chapter 27 - a clash of blades

The man in the leather trench coat stood opposite him. His mask obscured all his facial features apart from his cold blue eyes, eyes which conveyed a deep seated hatred and anger at everything around him. His clothing, dark blue and black, his grey floor length coat, his gunblade. Everything was so familiar but he couldn't quite place it. Squall nodded and gripped his gunblade tightly in his hands. The two men walked forwards. Squall adopted his usual combat stance, both hands on the handle like it was a katana but the other man, he held his in an all too-familiar stance. He stood right leg forward with his gunblade held out at shoulder height in a horizontal fashion. Only one man in the world used that stance, and everyone had assumed him missing, presumed dead. Squall took a deep breath and stepped forwards.

His swung his blade in a rising fashion, starting in the vicinity of his lower right thigh and bringing it up across the body towards the left shoulder. As the blade made its way forwards the masked swordsman dropped his elbow, letting his swords weight guide its movement with a flick of his wrist and deflected the blow. He then straightened his arm up and leaned in, flicking his sword forwards and thrusting it like it was an épée. Squall stepped backwards and brought his blade up across his face with his left hand on the underside to absorb the blow and steady it. He then threw all his weight forwards, pushed the sword up in the air with his left hand and guided it to above his head before he brought it down in a swift but powerful vertical motion. The other swordsman shuffled back as Squall's gunblade smashed one of the planks where he had stood.

_"He can read me, he knows how I move"_

Squall thought to himself, wondering how to land a blow against this man. Only one person could push him in a gunblade fight, but no one had seen Seifer Almsay for years. Many people copied his clothing style in the wake of his disappearance, the iconic grey leather jacket was a popular fashion accessory and many people who desired to be a bad-boy had worn it. Many of the White SeeDs watching were awestruck at how the duel was progressing. Neither man moved more than two or three foot away from each other, the whole time they circled and struck with precision, each blow not aimed at killing, but at ending the contest in a single strike. Tarbella watched Squall's footwork carefully, she could see how he always kept his left leg anchored and used his right leg to push forwards or retreat, he was rigid with a predictable stance, perfect for being dangerous in both attack and defense. This was unlike his opponent who was more fluid and but arrogant - he left himself wide open to attack with just how he stood. His arm movements were quick, but the wide open space with no guard meant one quick feint before a thrust could result in serious injury.

Their swords clashed again. The ringing of metal on metal was the only sound which could be heard over the ocean's waves and the breeze. The two men continued their relentless assault on each other. Squall swung his sword in a horizontal manner from left to right. The other swordsman stepped back and brought his sword down in a diagonal slicing manner, aiming for Squall's shoulder. Squall dropped down to one knee and this time kept his left hand on the handle as he pushed the blade up and angled it's face enough to stop the strike. The swordsman stepped backwards from the impact and the deflection and Squall struck. He flicked his sword round and rose from his crouched position, guiding his sword round with his right hand and slicing downwards with a powerful strike.

Tarbella gasped as the man's mask slowly fell apart. Squall had managed to land a blow on him - he cut his mask in half perfectly. As the white kabuki mask started to fall apart, everyone on the SeeD ship's deck took a deep breath. The man beneath the mask smiled as his blonde hair was revealed. His eyes widened and they burned with a familiar flame, one which Squall had not seen for six years. He shook his head, he couldn't believe it.

_"Looks like Commander Puberty found out who I was after all"_

Seifer pulled the rest of his mask away and threw it to the floor. He held his sword up in the air as the noon sun was now above them.

**Seifer:** "Behold! The triumphant return of the former sorceress' knight!"

Seifer ran his hand through his hair before he looked at Tarbella. He flashed her a smile and winked at her.

**Seifer:** "You've done well for yourself this time Leonhart. I always thought you'd marry Rinoa... When did you consider her deadwood and upgrade to such a babe?"

Squall tightened his grip on the gunblade in his hands and remained silent. Seifer could read him like a book. He knew exactly how to get a response out of Squall and he planned too. When he heard that the White SeeDs were tracking Squall he forcibly boarded their ship and demanded he was the one to apprehend him since he was the only one who could keep up with him. He smiled a Squall again and gestured with his hand, like he did that morning outside Garden - bring it.

It was like they had stepped backwards in time to six years ago to that fateful spring morning where they both earned their scars. Squall deflected a slice from Seifer and followed it up with a chop from his own blade. Seifer deflected this, he kept Squall's gunblade at bay with his sword and spun round, before delivering an overhead slice. Squall ducked under it, and spun out behind Seifer and swung his blade in an overhead swing. Seifer matched his move with a skilful parry. Squall lost his footing from the deflection but as Hyperion, Seifer's gunblade came swinging in, he took a deep breath and brought his hand up. In a very risky move, he slapped the side of Hyperion away from him, taking care not to touch either edge of it unless he wished to risk losing his fingers. The crowd watching them gasped as Squall used his hand to derail the sword strike causing Seifer's eyes to widen in excitement.

**Seifer: **"You've learned a few new tricks it seems."

Squall brought his blade up and sliced it down at Seifer, trying to cleave him in two with the diagonal slice. As their swords clashed together and the sound of metal on metal rang out, both men leaned forwards, their faces almost touching between the blades.

**Squall:** "You say tricks, I say technique. Something you forego for your own vanity"

Squall spat his insult out as the two men tried to push the other off balance during their deadlock. Seifer smiled. He brought his free hand up and formed a ball of fire in it. Squall's eyes narrowed. He knew what was coming. He pushed back against Seifer, creating some space before he made a gesture with his left hand. A green light flashed for a moment but Seifer didn't notice it as he cast the fire spell. The ball of fire hit Squall directly but instead of falling backwards from the blow, there was a flash of green light.

**Squall: **"Reflect"

**Seifer:** "Shit!"

Squall had cast reflect on himself just in time to deflect the fire spell from his long time rival. Seifer brought his sword up across him as a guard to minimize the damage from the fire spell. As its flames scattered against the blade, Seifer winced. He hated being hit with magic, especially his own. He brushed himself down and put his attention back on Squall. It seemed he had learned how to fight in an unorthodox way after all. This fight was going to be interesting.

Squall stepped forwards, bringing Lionheart up again, he stepped into a 180-degree rotation and swung the sword. The added momentum behind the strike and the footwork threw Seifer off guard. He barely got his sword down with enough time to block it. Seifer pushed away against the blade and was forced backwards again as Squall chopped at him again. The sparks from the blades clashing made the onlookers step back in awe. This was possibly the greatest swordfight many of them would ever see and they felt privileged to watch such an event. The two swords smashed into each other once again, this time, Seifer pulled the trigger on his gunblade, something neither of them ever did during their training as cadets. The explosion of pressure ran down the length of his blade and knocked Squall off balance. Squall shook his head, the discharge had confused him long enough for Seifer to get a free swing in. He brought his sword up in an arcing motion and smashed it against Squall's sword, sending his weapon in the air. The Lionheart spiralled through the air as Seifer prepared to deliver what would be considered the killing blow to the unarmed Squall, but the SeeD had other ideas. He reached down to his calf and pulled out his knife and held it like a dagger. Seifer took his swing at Squall who rolled out the way of the blow and then moved in. With a quick flick of his wrist, he lashed out with the blade and cut the sleeve of Seifer's jacket.

**Seifer: **"Asshole!"

Before Seifer could even react, Squall dropped the knife, lowered his shoulder and charged into his rival. The impact sent Hyperion from Seifer's hand as both men fell to the floor. Squall pushed himself up to his feet and lunged at Seifer who greeted him with a swift left jab. Squall flinched from the sudden blow, but countered with a low right body blow. Seifer threw a right of his own before following it up with a knee strike to the stunned SeeD. Fist fighting was never Squall's strong point but he had to try and buy himself some time until he could get hold of his gunblade once more. As the two fought, slogging it out blow for blow, Squall made his way backwards towards his gunblade. He ducked under a right hook from Seifer and took a page out of Zell's book and threw himself forwards, head butting Seifer. As the taller man staggered backwards, Squall jumped back, picked up his gunblade and held it out in front of him.

**Squall: **"Stop it Seifer, I don't want to kill you"

Both men, bloodied and exhausted were at an impasse. Squall wanted to cease the fighting and Seifer wanted to finally get one over Squall after six years. He grumbled but a familiar voice from the far end of the deck brought both young men to their senses.

_"Yield, both of you"_

Seifer stepped away from Squall. He turned his back on the SeeD and reached down for Hyperion. He took it firmly in his hand and then looked at the voice of the woman who interrupted them. He smiled and then cocked his head towards Squall.

**Seifer:** "Matron said we have to stop fighting Squall"

Squall looked over to where Seifer motioned - Edea stood on deck next to Tarbella. She looked the same as the last time he saw her, for some reason she never seemed to age. The only sign that some time had passed was that her normally jet-black hair had several white streaks through it - a sign of age seeming to slowly take its hold on her. She walked over, with the captain at her side and stood in front of both men.

**Edea:** "Children, why must you always fight when you first see each other? Can you for once, just get along?"

Squall was speechless as Seifer simply laughed.

**=...=...=**

Angel stood outside the orphanage. The unconscious bodies of the white SeeD who attacked her lay at her feet. She closed her eyes and smiled.

**Angel:** "It seems they found the sorceress and the fallen knight... The pieces are starting to fall into place now"

Angel placed her staff away and turned back to the men she had fought off. She reached out her hands and cast a wide-range cura spell on them. As the men started to open their eyes, she spoke to them softly

**Angel:** "Go, your matron awaits on your vessel. I am not your enemy."

**=...=...=**

**Jacob: **"Given that Matron insisted we stopped this fighting, no one is a forced guest or captive of each other. I am sorry we had a misunderstanding as such but we are cautious by nature."

**Squall: **"Its fine Captain. May I ask of you a favour?"

**Jacob: **"Yes, please do"

**Squall: **"Can you get us to Winhill. We have reason to believe Elloene is there. She might be the key to unlocking my missing memories and helping us find a way to defeat Chaos"

Jacob leaned back in his chair. They had since moved to his cabin after the fighting had ceased and both men had cleaned themselves up. Squall stood opposite him as the captain thought about the current situation.

**Jacob: **"I see, it seems Edea was right in telling us to head to the orphanage. She couldn't say why, but she felt that something was happening and she needed to see it to make sense of it. I do believe fate is playing a role here"

**Squall: **"Maybe, but it could also be a coincidence, I'm sick of fate and its games"

Jacob laughed

**Jacob: **"I can imagine... You were with two women at the house?"

**Squall: **"The other woman is staying there, she is holding down the fort whilst we gather our allies again."

Edea walked into the room. She looked at Squall and smiled at first before her face changed, she could feel the presence of Ultimecia in him.

**Edea: **"So... that is why I felt that there was an event at the orphanage. I could feel Ultimecia again... This must mean Rinoa can feel her too."

**Squall: **"Is Rinoa alive?"

**Edea: **"Yes... she is with Zell. They are in hiding, last I heard was on the outskirts of Deiling city."

Squall was relieved. The captain stood, saluted squall and left the room, leaving him and Edea to talk.

**Edea:** "I can see you are relieved that she is fine, but I have to ask, who is the lady with you?"

**Squall:** "Tarbella, she is a Centran, brought back by Angel, the real one... not the one causing all the chaos"

**Edea:** "I see... You are her knight yes?"

**Squall:** "It seems so, we have saved each other several times now"

**Edea: **"I can sense the bond you have. I can no longer sense the bond with Rinoa though, it seems that was cut completely when you vanished"

**Squall: **"It worries me, I wish I could see her again"

**Edea:** "But do you? I can see you are conflicted. You love Rinoa, but you fear she has moved on.. and now you have feelings for Tarbella"

**Squall: **"I wish I knew what to do... It is so confusing"

**Edea: **"A knight must stay true to his vows. He vows to protect, so protect. You vowed to protect both women it seems so protect them."

**Squall: **"Can I protect both?"

**Edea: **"Yes... but only for a short while. Sooner or later, you will be forced into making a decision on who you have to stand by. Will it be Rinoa, who you have been through so much with but you fear has forgotten you... Or will it be Tarbella, the girl who seems to have made such an impression on you"

Squall cleared his throat

**Squall: **"Tarbella saved my life in Centra. She also gave her life whilst fighting Adel, trying to protect me. Phoenix brought her back."

**Edea: **"The ultimate sacrifice... rebirth, It seems that you have already forged a strong bond with this young girl without even attempting to."

Squall looked at Edea who simply smiled back at him

**Edea:** "Take your time in deciding what will happen next Squall. Only you will know when the time is right to make a decision"


End file.
